Enhancing cell infiltration of electrospun fibrous scaffolds in tissue regeneration

Abstract

Electrospinning is one of the most effective approaches to fabricate tissue-engineered scaffolds composed of nano-to sub-microscale fibers that simulate a native extracellular matrix. However, one major concern about electrospun scaffolds for tissue repair and regeneration is that their small pores defined by densely compacted fibers markedly hinder cell infiltration and tissue ingrowth. To address this problem, researchers have developed and investigated various methods of manipulating scaffold structures to increase pore size or loosen the scaffold. These methods involve the use of physical treatments, such as salt leaching, gas foaming and custom-made collectors, and combined techniques to obtain electrospun scaffolds with loose fibrous structures and large pores. This article provides a summary of these motivating electrospinning techniques to enhance cell infiltration of electrospun scaffolds, which may inspire new electrospinning techniques and their new biomedical applications.