Electrospun alginate nanofibers with controlled cell adhesion for tissue engineering

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Alginate is a promising natural polysaccharide for tissue regeneration scaffolds.
• Electrospun alginate has been limited due to cytotoxic chemicals and inability to electrospin alone.
• Co-spinning with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) is a common method for alginate electrospinning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a non-cytotoxic, electrospun alginate scaffold with enhanced cell adhesion properties.
• To investigate the effect of cell adhesive peptide modification on alginate nanofiber performance.
• To evaluate the potential of modified alginate nanofibers for tissue regeneration applications.

Main Methods:

• Alginate was modified with a cell adhesive peptide (GRGDSP) to create modified alginate (RA).
• Unmodified alginate (UA) and RA were blended with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) at various concentrations and ratios.
• Blends were electrospun to produce uniform nanofibers, and their cell compatibility was assessed.

Main Results:

• Electrospun nanofibers were successfully fabricated from both UA/PEO and RA/PEO blends.
• Human dermal fibroblast cell attachment, spreading, and proliferation were significantly enhanced on RA scaffolds compared to UA scaffolds.
• The nanoscale architecture and cell-adhesive properties of RA nanofibers supported cell growth.

Conclusions:

• Cell adhesive peptide modification of alginate significantly improves its performance as an electrospun scaffold.
• Electrospun modified alginate nanofibers offer a promising biomaterial for tissue regeneration with improved cell integration.
• This approach overcomes limitations of traditional alginate electrospinning and expands its utility in regenerative medicine.