Rapid fabrication of poly(DL-lactide) nanofiber scaffolds with tunable degradation for tissue engineering applications by air-brushing.
Polymer nanofiber based materials have been widely investigated for use as tissue engineering scaffolds. While promising, these materials are typically fabricated through techniques that require significant time or cost. Here we report a rapid and cost effective air-brushing method for fabricating nanofiber scaffolds using a simple handheld apparatus, compressed air, and a polymer solution. Air-brushing also facilities control over the scaffold degradation rate without adversely impacting architecture. This was accomplished through a one step blending process of high (M w  ≈  100 000 g mol(-1)) and low (M w  ≈  25 000 g mol(-1)) molecular weight poly(DL-lactide) (PDLLA) polymers at various ratios (100:0, 70:30 and 50:50). Through this approach, we were able to control fiber scaffold degradation rate while maintaining similar fiber morphology, scaffold porosity, and bulk mechanical properties across all of the tested compositions. The impact of altered degradation rates was biologically evaluated in human bone marrow stromal cell (hBMSC) cultures for up to 16 days and demonstrated degradation rate dependence of both total DNA concentration and gene regulation.
Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, 2330 Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building, College Park, MD, USA.
Adam M
AM
Behrens
Jeffrey
J
Kim
Nathan
N
Hotaling
Jonathan E
JE
Seppala
Peter
P
Kofinas
Wojtek
W
Tutak
D000328:Adult; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers; D016062:Porosity; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; C033616:poly(lactide); D004247:DNA