A novel electrospun-aligned nanoyarn-reinforced nanofibrous scaffold for tendon tissue engineering

An electrospun-aligned nanoyarn-reinforced nanofibrous scaffold (NRS) was developed for tendon tissue engineering to improve mechanical strength and cell infiltration. The novel scaffold composed of aligned nanoyarns and random nanofibers was fabricated via electrospinning using a two-collector system. The aim of the present study was to investigate three different types of electrospun scaffolds (random nanofibrous scaffold, aligned nanofibrous scaffold and NRS) based on silk fibroin (SF) and poly(l-lactide-co-caprolactone) blends. Morphological analysis demonstrated that the NRS composed of aligned nanoyarns and randomly distributed nanofibers formed a 3D microstructure with relatively large pore sizes and high porosity. Biocompatibility analysis revealed that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells exhibited a higher proliferation rate when cultured on the NRS compared with the other scaffolds. The mechanical testing results indicated that the tensile properties of the NRS were reinforced in the direction parallel to the nanoyarns and satisfied the mechanical requirements for tendon repair. In addition, cell infiltration was significantly enhanced on the NRS. In conclusion, with its improved porosity and appropriate mechanical properties, the developed NRS shows promise for tendon tissue engineering applications.