Structural changes in PVDF fibers due to electrospinning and its effect on biological function

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Biophysics

Background:

• Polyvinylidine fluoride (PVDF) possesses biocompatibility and piezoelectric properties, making it suitable for bone tissue engineering scaffolds.
• The piezoelectric effect in PVDF generates electrical activity upon mechanical deformation, potentially influencing cellular behavior.
• Investigating the piezoelectric beta-crystal phase is crucial for optimizing PVDF scaffold performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize electrospun PVDF scaffolds with varying voltages.
• To evaluate the presence and fraction of the piezoelectric beta-phase in electrospun PVDF.
• To assess the impact of PVDF scaffolds on osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

Main Methods:

• PVDF scaffolds were fabricated using electrospinning at different voltages (12-30 kV).
• Differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction were employed to analyze the beta-phase content.
• Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were cultured on PVDF scaffolds (PVDF-12 kV and PVDF-25 kV) and tissue culture polystyrene (TCP) to assess osteogenic differentiation.

Main Results:

• Electrospinning of PVDF successfully induced the formation of the piezoelectric beta-phase, with the highest fraction (72%) achieved at 25 kV.
• MSCs exhibited good attachment and spread morphology on both PVDF-12 kV and PVDF-25 kV scaffolds.
• Significantly enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity and early mineralization were observed in MSCs cultured on PVDF-25 kV scaffolds compared to TCP and PVDF-12 kV.

Conclusions:

• Electrospun PVDF scaffolds can be optimized to form the piezoelectric beta-phase, crucial for bone regeneration.
• PVDF scaffolds, particularly at 25 kV, support MSC attachment and osteogenic differentiation.
• These findings highlight the potential of piezoelectric PVDF scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications.