Poly(glycerol sebacate) nanofiber scaffolds by core/shell electrospinning

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) is a promising, elastin-like, degradable polymer for regenerative medicine.
• Current limitations restrict PGS to cast structures, hindering its application in tissue engineering.
• Elastin-like materials are crucial for mimicking the native mechanical and chemical cues in tissues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for fabricating poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) nanofibers for tissue engineering scaffolds.
• To create randomly oriented, non-woven mats of PGS nanofibers.
• To evaluate the in-vitro cellular compatibility of the novel PGS nanofiber scaffolds.

Main Methods:

• Coaxial core/shell electrospinning was employed to form PGS nanofibers.
• Poly(lactide) served as a shell material to constrain PGS during curing, then was removed.
• Human microvascular endothelial cells from skin (HDMEC) were used for in-vitro evaluation.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated random, non-woven mats of poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) nanofibers.
• The synthetic PGS nanofibers effectively mimic the chemical and mechanical properties of elastin fibers.
• In-vitro studies demonstrated good cellular compatibility of the PGS nanofiber scaffolds with HDMECs.

Conclusions:

• Coaxial electrospinning is a viable method for producing PGS nanofibers for tissue engineering.
• PGS nanofibers provide a promising, synthetic alternative to natural elastin in regenerative medicine.
• The developed scaffolds show potential for applications in tissue regeneration and engineering.