Electrospun Polycaprolactone Membranes Expanded with Chitosan Granules for Cell Infiltration

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Engineering
• Tissue Engineering
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Electrospun membranes, particularly polycaprolactone (PCL), possess small pore sizes limiting their application as three-dimensional scaffolds.
• Effective tissue scaffolds require interconnected pores to facilitate cell infiltration and nutrient transport.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop PCL electrospun membranes with expanded pore sizes for improved tissue scaffold applications.
• To investigate the impact of incorporating chitosan (CS) granules on the structural, mechanical, and biological properties of PCL electrospun membranes.

Main Methods:

• Polycaprolactone (PCL) electrospun fibrous membranes were fabricated with incorporated chitosan (CS) granules.
• Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze the microstructure and pore morphology.
• Tensile testing was performed to evaluate the mechanical properties (Young's modulus, yield stress).
• Human fibroblast cell adhesion, proliferation, and infiltration were assessed on the scaffolds.

Main Results:

• SEM confirmed CS granules embedded within PCL fibers, creating an open, porous structure.
• The addition of CS decreased Young's modulus and yield stress, but co-electrospun membranes showed improved mechanical properties compared to single CS-containing membranes.
• Human fibroblasts adhered to and proliferated on all scaffolds.
• Cells infiltrated the entire scaffold in CS-containing membranes, unlike PCL-only membranes where cells remained surface-bound.

Conclusions:

• Electrospun membranes incorporating CS granules exhibit sufficiently large pores for enhanced fibroblast infiltration.
• The developed scaffolds maintain adequate mechanical stability for potential tissue engineering applications.
• This approach offers a viable strategy to overcome pore size limitations in PCL electrospun scaffolds.