Development of core-shell coaxially electrospun composite PCL/chitosan scaffolds

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Developing advanced biomaterials is crucial for tissue engineering.
• Combining synthetic and natural polymers offers unique advantages for scaffold fabrication.
• Poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and chitosan are widely studied polymers for biomedical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate three-dimensional (3D) PCL/chitosan core-shell scaffolds using coaxial electrospinning.
• To characterize the structural, mechanical, and surface properties of the developed scaffolds.
• To evaluate the biocompatibility and cell interaction of the PCL/chitosan scaffolds with L929 mouse fibroblast cells.

Main Methods:

• Coaxial electrospinning technique for scaffold fabrication.
• Physical characterization including SEM, TEM, XPS, contact angle, and mechanical testing.
• PBS absorption and shrinkage tests.
• In vitro cell culture studies (MTT assay, CLSM, SEM) using L929 cells.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated PCL/chitosan core-shell scaffolds with controlled micro/nano fibrous structures.
• Characterization confirmed the presence of both PCL and chitosan, with reduced fiber and pore sizes in core-shell scaffolds.
• XPS analysis verified the successful integration of PCL and chitosan.
• Cell culture studies demonstrated excellent biocompatibility, significantly enhancing cell viability and proliferation.

Conclusions:

• The developed 3D PCL/chitosan core-shell scaffolds exhibit promising properties for tissue engineering applications.
• The unique micro/nano fibrous architecture promotes enhanced cellular response.
• This study highlights the potential of combining PCL and chitosan for creating advanced tissue engineering scaffolds.