Development of Biocompatible Electrospun PHBV-PLLA Polymeric Bilayer Composite Membranes for Skin Tissue Engineering...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Skin tissue engineering requires scaffolds with optimal mechanical properties and biocompatibility.
• Electrospun fibers offer tunable structures for regenerative medicine applications.
• Bilayered scaffolds can combine different material properties for improved performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and characterize bilayer electrospun fibers using PHBV-PLLA blends for skin tissue engineering.
• To evaluate the mechanical properties, surface morphology, and in vitro biological performance of the fabricated scaffolds.
• To assess the potential of these bilayer scaffolds as skin substitutes.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of bilayer electrospun fibers using PHBV-PLLA blends (70:30, 80:20, 90:10 w/w) on PHBV membranes.
• Characterization using FTIR for chemical composition and SEM for surface morphology (fiber and pore size).
• Assessment of mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation at break) and in vitro cytotoxicity and cell proliferation (MC3T3 cells, Alamar Blue assay).

Main Results:

• FTIR confirmed the presence of both PHBV and PLLA in the electrospun bilayers.
• SEM revealed random fibers with porous morphology (0.7 ± 0.1 µm fiber diameter, 1.9 ± 0.2 µm pore size).
• Bilayers exhibited significantly improved elongation at break (44.45%) and ultimate tensile strength (7.940 MPa) compared to monolayers.
• In vitro studies showed good cell attachment, proliferation, and biocompatibility of the bilayer scaffolds.

Conclusions:

• The fabricated PHBV-PLLA bilayer electrospun fibers possess enhanced mechanical strength and excellent biocompatibility.
• These scaffolds support good cell attachment and proliferation, indicating suitability for skin tissue engineering.
• The developed bilayer system shows promising potential for applications as skin substitutes.