Surface modified electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds for nerve tissue engineering

Abstract

The development of biodegradable polymeric scaffolds with surfaceproperties that dominate interactions between the material and biologicalenvironment is of great interest in biomedical applications. In this regard,poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) nanofibrous scaffolds were fabricated by an electrospinning processand surface modified by a simple plasma treatment process for enhancing the Schwann celladhesion, proliferation and interactions with nanofibers necessary for nerve tissueformation. The hydrophilicity of surface modified PCL nanofibrous scaffolds (p-PCL)was evaluated by contact angle and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies.Naturally derived polymers such as collagen are frequently used for the fabrication ofbiocomposite PCL/collagen scaffolds, though the feasibility of procuring largeamounts of natural materials for clinical applications remains a concern, along withtheir cost and mechanical stability. The proliferation of Schwann cells on p-PCLnanofibrous scaffolds showed a 17% increase in cell proliferation compared tothose on PCL/collagen nanofibrous scaffolds after 8 days of cell culture. Schwanncells were found to attach and proliferate on surface modified PCL nanofibrousscaffolds expressing bipolar elongations, retaining their normal morphology. Theresults of our study showed that plasma treated PCL nanofibrous scaffolds are acost-effective material compared to PCL/collagen scaffolds, and can potentially serve asan ideal tissue engineered scaffold, especially for peripheral nerve regeneration.