Platelet Activity of Coaxial Electrospun Scaffolds for Applications in Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering

Abstract

A biocompatible scaffold is vital to implant device design, tissue engineering, and drug delivery. Previous work has shown smooth muscle cell and human umbilical vascular endothelial cell viability, adhesion, proliferation, and migration on coaxially electrospun scaffolds. For vascular applications, these electrospun scaffolds need to be non-thrombogenic, while simultaneously not completely inhibiting the platelets role in hemostasis and augmenting angiogenesis.[1] Therefore, platelet activity on electrospun scaffolds needs to be assessed. In this study, we fabricated coaxial electrospun nanofibers in both 1:1 and 3:1 (gelatin:polyvinyl alcohol, volumetric flow ratios), as well as scaffolds composed of either gelatin or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Platelet deposition on the electrospun scaffolds was measured. Furthermore, the activity of human platelets on the electrospun scaffolds was assessed using a modified prothrombinase assay.[2]