Abstract
In this work, cyclopropylamine (CPA) monomer was plasma-polymerized on poly (ε-caprolactone) nanofiber meshes using various deposition durations to obtain amine-rich surfaces in an effort to improve the cellular response of the meshes. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to investigate the surface morphology and surface chemical composition of the PCL samples, respectively. The measured coating thickness was found to linearly increase with deposition duration at a deposition rate of 0.465 nm/s. XPS analysis revealed that plasma exposure time had a considerable effect on the surface N/C and O/C ratio as well as on amino grafting efficiency and amino selectivity. In addition, cell studies showed that cell adhesion and proliferation significantly improved for all coated samples.
Highlights
Scaffolds consisting of nanofibers (NFs) have been extensively used for tissue engineering research because they closely mimic the structural properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) [1,2,3,4,5]
scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images demonstrated the successful deposition of the CPA-based plasma polymer film (PPF) on the NFs without causing any evidential thermal damage to the nanofibrous mat morphology
The obtained results showed that the deposited film grows practically linearly with plasma exposure time resulting in a deposition rate of 0.465 nm/s
Summary
Scaffolds consisting of nanofibers (NFs) (fiber diameter < 500 nm) have been extensively used for tissue engineering research because they closely mimic the structural properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) [1,2,3,4,5]. NFs for tissue engineering purposes are typically made from either synthetic polymers such as poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) [6,7], poly(lactic acid) (PLA) [8], poly(urethane) (PU) [9], polyethersulfone (PES) [10] and others or naturally occurring polymers such as gelatine [11], silk fibroin [12], chitosan [13] and others. Amongst the wide range of polymers mentioned above that can be used for electrospinning, PCL is extensively applied since it is well known to be biodegradable and non-cytotoxic, which are desirable properties for tissue engineering scaffolds [14,16,17]. This polymer belongs to the material group with hydrophobic surface characteristics and performs poorly in terms of cell adhesion due to the lack of surface functionality [18]. The surface functionality of PCL NFs is highly important as it has a critical role in promoting cellular interactions
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
