title: Nano/micro hybrid scaffold of PCL or P3HB nanofibers combined with silk fibroin for tendon and ligament tissue engineering.
abstract: A novel biodegradable nano/micro hybrid structure was obtained by electrospinning P3HB or PCL nanofibers onto a twisted silk fibroin (SF) structure, with the aim of fabricating a suitable scaffold for tendon and ligament tissue engineering. The electrospinning (ES) processing parameters for P3HB and PCL were optimized on 2D samples, and applied to produce two different nano/micro hybrid constructs (SF/ES-PCL and SF/ES-P3HB).Morphological, chemico-physical and mechanical properties of the novel hybrid scaffolds were evaluated by SEM, ATR FT-IR, DSC, tensile and thermodynamic mechanical tests. The results demonstrated that the nanofibers were tightly wrapped around the silk filaments, and the crystallinity of the SF twisted yarns was not influenced by the presence of the electrospun polymers. The slightly higher mechanical properties of the hybrid constructs confirmed an increase of internal forces due to the interaction between nano and micro components. Cell culture tests with L929 fibroblasts, in the presence of the sample eluates or in direct contact with the hybrid structures, showed no cytotoxic effects and a good level of cytocompatibility of the nano/micro hybrid structures in term of cell viability, particularly at day 1. Cell viability onto the nano/micro hybrid structures decreased from the first to the third day of culture when compared with the control culture plastic, but appeared to be higher when compared with the uncoated SF yarns. Although additional in vitro and in vivo tests are needed, the original fabrication method here described appears promising for scaffolds suitable for tendon and ligament tissue engineering.
authors.affiliation: Department of Textile Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan - Iran.|BioMatLab, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering G. Natta, Politecnico di Milano, Milan - Italy.
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Naghashzargar
authors.affiliation: BioMatLab, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering G. Natta, Politecnico di Milano, Milan - Italy.|Local Unit Politecnico di Milano, INSTM, Milan - Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farè
authors.affiliation: BioMatLab, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering G. Natta, Politecnico di Milano, Milan - Italy.|Local Unit Politecnico di Milano, INSTM, Milan - Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Catto
authors.affiliation: BioMatLab, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering G. Natta, Politecnico di Milano, Milan - Italy.|Local Unit Politecnico di Milano, INSTM, Milan - Italy.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bertoldi
authors.affiliation: Department of Textile Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan - Iran.
authors.forename: Dariush
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Semnani
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan - Iran.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karbasi
authors.affiliation: BioMatLab, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering G. Natta, Politecnico di Milano, Milan - Italy.|Local Unit Politecnico di Milano, INSTM, Milan - Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Tanzi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D005349:Fibroins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D008022:Ligaments / Q000166:cytology*; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D013710:Tendons / Q000166:cytology*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*; D000094122:Polyhydroxybutyrates
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005349:Fibroins; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone; C003182:poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate; D000094122:Polyhydroxybutyrates