Composite poly(lactic acid)/chitosan nanofibrous scaffolds for cardiac tissue engineering

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Developing effective scaffolds is crucial for cardiac tissue engineering.
• Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and chitosan are promising biomaterials for regenerative applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and characterize fibrous scaffolds from poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and chitosan.
• To evaluate the influence of fiber alignment and material ratio on scaffold properties and cardiac cell behavior.

Main Methods:

• Conventional electrospinning was used to create PLA/chitosan fibrous scaffolds.
• Scaffolds were crosslinked with glutaraldehyde vapor.
• Structural, mechanical, and hydrophilic properties were analyzed.
• Cardiomyocyte viability, elongation, and protein expression were assessed.

Main Results:

• Decreased fiber diameter and improved mechanical properties and hydrophilicity with increased chitosan concentration.
• Aligned fiber scaffolds exhibited superior mechanical strength and biocompatibility compared to randomly oriented ones.
• Aligned scaffolds with a 7:1 PLA:chitosan ratio promoted cardiomyocyte viability, elongation, and expression of cardiac-specific proteins (α-actinin and troponin I).

Conclusions:

• Composite PLA/chitosan fibrous scaffolds demonstrate significant potential for cardiac tissue engineering.
• Aligned fibrous scaffolds, particularly with a 7:1 PLA:chitosan ratio, are promising for promoting myocardial regeneration.