title: Three-dimensional multilayered fibrous constructs for wound healing applications.
abstract: Electrospun materials are promising scaffolds due to their light-weight, high surface-area and low-cost fabrication, however, such scaffolds are commonly obtained as ultrathin two-dimensional non-woven meshes, lacking on topographical specificity and surface side-dependent properties. Herein, it is reported the production of three-dimensional fibrous materials with an asymmetrical inner structure and engineered surfaces. The manufactured constructs evidence fibrous-based microsized conical protrusions [length: (10 ± 3) × 10(2) μm; width: (3.8 ± 0.8) × 10(2) μm] at their top side, with a median peak density of 73 peaks per cm(2), while their bottom side resembles to a non-woven mesh commonly observed in the fabrication of two-dimensional electrospun materials. Regarding their thickness (3.7 ± 0.1 mm) and asymmetric fibrous inner architecture, such materials avoid external liquid absorption while promoting internal liquid uptake. Nevertheless, such constructs also observed the high porosity (89.9%) and surface area (1.44 m(2) g(-1)) characteristic of traditional electrospun mats. Spray layer-by-layer assembly is used to effectively coat the structurally complex materials, allowing to complementary tailor features such as water vapor transmission, swelling ratio and bioactive agent release. Tested as wound dressings, the novel constructs are capable of withstanding (11.0 ± 0.3) × 10(4) kg m(-2) even after 14 days of hydration, while actively promote wound healing (90 ± 0.5% of wound closure within 48 hours) although avoiding cell adhesion on the dressings for a painless removal.
authors.affiliation: LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal. air@fct.unl.pt and Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. hammond@mit.edu.
authors.forename: Tiago C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. hammond@mit.edu.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Castleberry
authors.affiliation: CQFM and IN, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana M B
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rego
authors.affiliation: LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal. air@fct.unl.pt.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aguiar-Ricardo
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. hammond@mit.edu.
authors.forename: Paula T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Hammond
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D016062:Porosity; D013499:Surface Properties; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials