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Three-dimensional electrospun ECM-based hybrid scaffolds for cardiovascular tissue engineering.
Sepideh Heydarkhan-Hagvall1, Katja Schenke-Layland, Andrew P Dhanasopon
1Regenerative Bioengineering and Repair Laboratory, Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Biomaterials
|April 12, 2008
Summary
Hybrid electrospun scaffolds using natural proteins and poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) offer improved stability for tissue engineering without chemical cross-linking. Gelatin/PCL scaffolds demonstrated superior strength and enhanced cell migration.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Electrospinning natural proteins or synthetic polymers creates fibrous scaffolds for tissue engineering.
- Natural protein scaffolds often require glutaraldehyde cross-linking, which can cause in vivo complications.
- Hybrid scaffolds avoid chemical cross-linking by combining natural proteins with synthetic polymers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize hybrid scaffolds made from natural proteins (collagen, elastin, gelatin) and poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL).
- To evaluate the mechanical and biological properties of these hybrid scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.
- To assess the impact of scaffold composition on cell attachment and migration.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of hybrid scaffolds using electrospinning with varying concentrations of natural proteins and PCL.
- Mechanical testing to determine tensile strength of the scaffolds.
- Seeding scaffolds with adipose-derived stem cells and evaluating cell attachment and migration using scanning electron microscopy and nuclei staining.
Main Results:
- Fiber and pore size were dependent on protein and polymer concentrations.
- Gelatin/PCL scaffolds exhibited higher tensile strength than collagen/elastin/PCL constructs.
- Complete cell attachment was observed on both scaffold types, with preferential cell migration into gelatin/PCL scaffolds.
Conclusions:
- Hybrid scaffolds combining natural proteins and PCL offer a promising alternative to chemically cross-linked natural protein scaffolds.
- Gelatin/PCL hybrid scaffolds possess favorable mechanical and biological properties for tissue engineering.
- The composition of hybrid scaffolds influences their suitability for cell infiltration and tissue regeneration.
