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Mammalian cell viability in electrospun composite nanofiber structures
Mehmet Fatih Canbolat1, Christina Tang, Susan H Bernacki
1Fiber and Polymer Science, College of Textiles North Carolina State University, 3427 College of Textiles, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8301, USA.
Macromolecular Bioscience
|October 11, 2011
Summary
Mammalian cells do not survive direct incorporation into nanofibers via electrospinning due to dehydration and stretching. However, cells can survive multilayering with nanofibers, provided the correct solvents are used to avoid toxicity.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Electrospinning is a technique used to create nanofibers for tissue engineering.
- Incorporating mammalian cells into these structures is challenging but promising.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the viability of 3T3-L1 mouse fibroblasts during cell electrospinning and cell layering.
- To identify factors affecting cell survival in these processes.
Main Methods:
- Incorporation of 3T3-L1 fibroblasts into poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibers (cell electrospinning).
- Multilayering of 3T3-L1 fibroblasts with poly(caprolactone) nanofibers (cell layering).
- Analysis of cell viability and contributing factors like dehydration, fiber stretching, and solvent toxicity.
Main Results:
- 3T3-L1 fibroblasts did not survive cell electrospinning.
- Cell layering allowed for fibroblast survival.
- Dehydration and fiber stretching were identified as primary causes of cell death during cell electrospinning.
- Residual solvent in poly(caprolactone) nanofibers was found to be detrimental in cell layering.
Conclusions:
- Cell electrospinning is not a viable method for maintaining fibroblast viability due to process-induced stress.
- Cell layering presents a more promising approach for incorporating fibroblasts into nanofiber scaffolds for tissue engineering.
- Careful selection of solvents is crucial to ensure cell survival during cell layering techniques.
