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Development and characterization of novel extracellular mimicking blended electrospun scaffolds: effect of scaffold hydrophobicity on endothelial cell growth
Author(s) -
Nosoudi Nasim,
Yin Wei,
Rubenstein David Alan
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.905.1
Subject(s) - electrospinning , contact angle , scaffold , polycaprolactone , extracellular matrix , chemical engineering , chitosan , tissue engineering , materials science , cell adhesion , porosity , adhesion , chemistry , fiber , scanning electron microscope , biomedical engineering , polymer chemistry , composite material , polymer , organic chemistry , biochemistry , medicine , engineering
Electrospinning has been engaged widely in tissue engineering to make scaffolds that aim to mimic specific physical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Here we focused on forming composite scaffolds from pure or blended ethylene‐co‐acrylic acid (EAA), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyethylene oxide (PEO), chitosan and cellulose acetate (CA). Solvent combinations were optimized to maintain stable electrospinning solutions. Scaffold hydrophobicity is a major regulator of adhesion and infiltration and was measured with goniometry. Scanning electron microscopy was used to determine porosity and fiber dimensions. We hypothesized that endothelial cells would prefer scaffolds that were mildly hydrophilic or hydrophobic and that had fiber characteristics similar to the ECM. The average contact angle for PEO, EAA, CA, EAA‐PCL, PCL and chitosan are 38°, 88°, 95°, 103°, 112° and 117°, respectively. Porosity ranged from ~60 to 90%; fiber width ranged from 10nm‐5μm. Endothelial cell viability was highest on scaffolds that were slightly hydrophobic and had larger widths. Thus, hydrophobicity and fiber characteristics play a crucial role in endothelial cell growth on ECM mimicking scaffolds. Thanks to the NIH.