Electrospun blends of natural and synthetic polymers as scaffolds for tissue engineering

Engineering functional three-dimensional (3-D) tissue constructs for the replacement and/or repair of damaged native tissues using cells and scaffolds is one of the ultimate goals of tissue engineering. In this study, non-woven fibrous scaffolds were electrospun from the synthetic biodegradable polymer poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and natural proteins, gelatin (denatured collagen) and elastin. In the absence of cross-linking agent, the average PGE fiber diameter increased from 347 +/- 103 nm to 999 +/- 123 nm upon wetting as measured by scanning electron microscopy. Rat bone marrow stromal cells (rBMSC) were used paradigmatically to study the 3-D cell culture properties of PGE scaffolds. Consistent with the observed properties of the individual fibers, PGE scaffolds initially swelled in aqueous culture medium, however rBMSC seeded PGE scaffolds contracted to less than 50% of original size. Time course histological analysis demonstrated uniform seeding of rBMSC into PGE scaffolds and complete cell penetration into the fibrous architecture over 4 weeks of in vitro culture.