title: Fabrication of poly (ϵ-caprolactone) microfiber scaffolds with varying topography and mechanical properties for stem cell-based tissue engineering applications.
abstract: Highly porous poly (ϵ-caprolactone) microfiber scaffolds can be fabricated using electrospinning for tissue engineering applications. Melt electrospinning produces such scaffolds by direct deposition of a polymer melt instead of dissolving the polymer in a solvent as performed during solution electrospinning. The objective of this study was to investigate the significant parameters associated with the melt electrospinning process that influence fiber diameter and scaffold morphology, including processing temperature, collection distance, applied, voltage and nozzle size. The mechanical properties of these microfiber scaffolds varied with microfiber diameter. Additionally, the porosity of scaffolds was determined by combining experimental data with mathematical modeling. To test the cytocompatability of these fibrous scaffolds, we seeded neural progenitors derived from murine R1 embryonic stem cell lines onto these scaffolds, where they could survive, migrate, and differentiate into neurons; demonstrating the potential of these melt electrospun scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Mechanical Engineering , University of Victoria , Victoria , BC , Canada . V8W 3P6.
authors.forename: Junghyuk
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Nima Khadem
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Mohtaram
authors.forename: Farid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montgomery
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.forename: Patrick C D
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Stephanie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Willerth
authors.forename: Martin B G
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Jun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D055616:Microtechnology / Q000379:methods*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016062:Porosity; D013718:Tensile Strength; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone