Solving cell infiltration limitations of electrospun nanofiber meshes for tissue engineering applications.
OBJECTIVE
Utilize the dual composition strategy to increase the pore size and solve the low cell infiltration capacity on random nanofiber meshes, an intrinsic limitation of electrospun scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.


METHODS
Polycaprolactone and poly(ethylene oxide) solutions were electrospun simultaneously to obtain a dual composition nanofiber mesh. Selective dissolution of the poly(ethylene oxide) nanofiber fraction was performed. The biologic performance of these enhanced pore size nanofibrous structures was assessed with human osteoblastic cells.


RESULTS
The electrospun nanofiber meshes, after the poly(ethylene oxide) dissolution, showed statistically significant larger pore sizes when compared with polycaprolactone nanofiber meshes with a similar polycaprolactone volume fraction. This was also confirmed by interferometric optical profilometry. Using scanning electron microscopy and laser scanning confocal microscopy, it was observed that osteoblastic cells could penetrate into the nanofibrous structure and migrate into the opposite and unseeded side of the mesh.


CONCLUSIONS
An electrospun mesh was created with sufficient pore size to allow cell infiltration into its structure, thus resulting in a fully populated construct appropriate for 3D tissue engineering applications.
3B's Research Group - Biomaterials, Biodegradables & Biomimetics, Department Polymer Engineering, University of Minho, 4806-909 Caldas das Taipas, Guimarães, Portugal.
Ana
A
Guimarães
Albino
A
Martins
Elisabete D
ED
Pinho
Susana
S
Faria
Rui L
RL
Reis
Nuno M
NM
Neves
D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D057139:Nanofibers; D011091:Polyesters; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D013499:Surface Properties; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D017155:Wettability
D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols