title: Genipin-cross-linked electrospun collagen fibers.
abstract: The fabrication of a fibrous collagen scaffold using electrospinning is desirable for tissue-engineering applications. Previously, electrospun collagen fibers were shown to be unstable in aqueous environments and, therefore, cross-linking is essential to stabilize these fibers. In this study genipin, a significantly less cytotoxic cross-linking agent compared to glutaraldehyde, was used to cross-link electrospun collagen fibers. The significance of this research lies in the use of four alcohol/water solvent systems to carry out the crosslinking reaction to maintain fibrous morphology during cross-linking. The four cross-linking conditions established were: (1) ethanol, 5% water and 3 days, (2) ethanol, 3% water and 5 days, (3) ethanol, 5% water and 5 days, and (4) isopropanol, 5% water and 5 days at a genipin concentration of 0.03 M. Results illustrated that genipin-cross-linking was effective in maintaining collagen fiber integrity in aqueous and cell culture media environments for up to 7 days. In addition, it was shown that fiber swelling could be controlled by using different cross-linking conditions. Swelling of cross-linked fibers immersed in Dulbecco's modified eagle medium for 7 days ranged from 0 to 59 ± 4%. The cross-linked fibers were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ninhydrin assay. Finally, studies using primary human fibroblasts indicated good cell adhesion to these scaffolds. Overall, our data suggest that these stabilized fibrous collagen scaffolds provide a promising environment for tissue-regeneration applications.
authors.affiliation: a Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada N6A 5B9; Fordham Center for Biomedical Engineering, Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada N6A 5B9.
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mekhail
authors.forename: Kenneth Kar Ho
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Donna Teresa
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Padavan
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: O'Gorman
authors.forename: Wankei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wan
mesh_terms: D019840:2-Propanol / Q000737:chemistry; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002452:Cell Count; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology; D005976:Glutaral / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D039823:Iridoids / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009555:Ninhydrin / Q000737:chemistry; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013997:Time Factors; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D039823:Iridoids; D014867:Water; D000431:Ethanol; D003094:Collagen; C007834:genipin; D009555:Ninhydrin; D019840:2-Propanol; D005976:Glutaral