The effect of gelatin incorporation into electrospun poly(L-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone) fibers on mechanical properties and cytocompatibility

Biomaterials. 2008 Apr;29(12):1872-9. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2007.12.029. Epub 2008 Jan 29.

Abstract

Very elastic poly(L-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone) (PLCL) (50:50) copolymer blended with gelatin was electrospun into microfibers from a hexafluoroisopropanol solution. PLCL fiber sheet exhibited the unique soft and flexible behavior while gelatin fiber was hard and brittle. As the gelatin content of PLCL/gelatin fibers increased, Young's modulus was increased, but the elongation was decreased compared to those of PLCL. However, fibers containing 10-30 wt% gelatin demonstrated an enhanced tensile strength with still high elongation to be beneficial for tissue engineering scaffolds. The cytocompatibility of electrospun fiber sheets was evaluated by fibroblasts (NIH-3T3) cell culture. The initial cell adhesion on various fibers after 5h was somewhat similar, but in the order of PLCL>PLCL70/gelatin30 approximately PLCL50/gelatin50>PLCL90/gelatin10 approximately gelatin>PLCL30/gelatin70. However, the cell proliferation exhibited a completely different and strong dependence on the fiber composition: a very high proliferation rate on PLCL90/gelatin10, followed by PLCL>gelatin>PLCL70/gelatin30. Such an enhanced effect of gelatin, especially at 10 wt% content, on strength and cytocompatibility of PLCL/gelatin fibers would be very preferable for tissue engineering scaffolds.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biocompatible Materials / administration & dosage*
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry*
  • Cell Survival / drug effects*
  • Elasticity
  • Electrochemistry / methods
  • Gelatin / administration & dosage*
  • Gelatin / chemistry*
  • Materials Testing
  • Mice
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Polyesters / administration & dosage*
  • Polyesters / chemistry*
  • Porosity
  • Rotation
  • Stress, Mechanical
  • Tensile Strength

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Polyesters
  • lactide-caprolactone copolymer
  • Gelatin