title: Biodegradable electrospun scaffolds for annulus fibrosus tissue engineering: effect of scaffold structure and composition on annulus fibrosus cells in vitro.
abstract: Electrospinning technology is an attractive process for the fabrication of a scaffold with an annulus fibrosus (AF)-like architecture for tissue engineering. Oriented and nonoriented electrospun scaffolds were prepared from poly(ester-urethane) (PU) and poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) as well as corresponding homogeneous films. Scaffolds' characteristics and mechanical properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, static water contact measurements, and dynamic mechanical analysis, respectively. The effect of scaffold architecture and polymer composition on bovine AF cells was investigated. PU and PCL films and scaffolds supported AF cell growth and extracellular matrix production and accumulation. Electrospun scaffolds increased the retention of collagen and glycosaminoglycan compared with films. Fiber orientation of the scaffolds promoted the AF cell phenotype with a trend toward an upregulation of matrix gene expression for oriented relative to nonoriented scaffolds. The higher yield strain of an oriented electrospun PU scaffold, compared with other scaffolds, will be advantageous for AF tissue engineering under a dynamic mechanical environment.
authors.affiliation: 1 AO Research Institute Davos , Davos, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wismer
authors.forename: Sibylle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grad
authors.forename: Giuseppino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fortunato
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alini
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eglin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002417:Cattle; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000378:metabolism; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011091:Polyesters / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014048:Tolonium Chloride / Q000378:metabolism; D017155:Wettability / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D011091:Polyesters; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014048:Tolonium Chloride; C016240:polycaprolactone; D004247:DNA; D006909:Hydroxyproline