Mimicking the Annulus Fibrosus Using Electrospun Polyester Blended Scaffolds

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Chronic lower back pain from degenerate annulus fibrosus (AF) lacks effective long-term treatments.
• Current therapies do not restore AF tissue structure or function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer AF tissue using electrospun scaffolds from poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(L-lactic) acid (PLLA) blends.
• To mimic the native AF tissue architecture and mechanical environment.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of electrospun scaffolds using PCL, PLLA, and their blends (80:20, 50:50, 20:80).
• Characterization of material properties: fiber diameter, alignment, crystallinity, tensile strength, and water contact angle.
• In vitro culture of AF cells on optimized scaffolds.

Main Results:

• PCL:PLLA blends exhibited varying mechanical properties; bilayer scaffolds were stronger.
• The 50:50 PCL:PLLA blend demonstrated mechanical properties similar to native human AF.
• AF cells showed attachment and proliferation on the 50:50 scaffolds over seven days.

Conclusions:

• The 50:50 PCL:PLLA scaffold composition is optimal for mimicking AF tissue structure and mechanics.
• This engineered scaffold supports favorable AF cell behavior, advancing AF tissue engineering.
• This research offers a potential long-term treatment for chronic back pain.