Nanofiber enabled layer-by-layer approach toward three-dimensional tissue formation

Taking rapid and efficient formation of functional tissues as our long-term goal, we discuss in this study a new and generic approach toward formation of multilayered three-dimensional (3D) tissues using nanofibers. 3:1 poly (epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) (8% w/v)/collagen (8.0% w/v) solution was electrospun into nanofibers with an average diameter of 454.5 +/- 84.9 nm. The culture of human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF) on PCL/collagen nanofibers showed a high initial cell adhesion (88.1 +/- 1.5%), and rapid cell spreading with spindle morphology. Three-dimensional multilayered cell-nanofiber constructs were built with alternating NHDF seeding (1 x 10(5)cells/layer) and PCL/collagen nanofiber collection on site of electrospinning, where almost all the seeded cells retained in the constructs. The formed construct showed layered structure with uniform cell distribution in between layers of PCL/collagen nanofibers. In the 3D constructs, cells continuously proliferated and deposited new extracellular matrix. By culturing either fibroblast/fiber layered constructs or keratinocyte/fibroblast/fiber layered constructs, dermal-like tissues or bilayer skin tissues (containing both epidermal and dermal layers) were consequently produced within 1 week. Taken together, the present study reports a novel approach to 3D multilayered tissue formation using a bottom-up, on-site layer-by-layer cell assembly while electrospinning. This approach has marked potentials to form functional tissues composed of multiple types of cells, heterogeneous scaffold composition, and customized specific microenvironment for cells.