Nanofibrous Meshes Research Articles

Eumelanin Nanoparticle-Incorporated Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanofibrous Composite as an Electroconductive Scaffold for Skeletal Muscle Tissue Engineering.

Eumelanins are melanocyte-derived natural pigments with inherent electrical cues and outstanding physicochemical properties, which enhance the electroconductivity of the synthetic polymeric scaffold, upon incorporation as nanoparticles. Electrospun nanofibrous meshes generated from such composite polymers are of great interest for muscle tissue engineering applications. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of fabricating nanofibrous scaffolds of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) incorporated with eumelanin nanoparticles (EUNp) by electrospinning and further assessed their impact on myogenic differentiation of skeletal myoblasts. Morphological and physicochemical analysis of EUNp-PVA nanofibrous mesh showed uniform, bead-free, thermally stable, and randomly oriented nanofibers (450 ± 10 nm) with effective retention of the incorporated EUNp, without any chemical cross-reactivity. Voltammetric measurements of EUNp-PVA mesh exhibits stable electrical conductivity (∼4.0 S cm-1), which was undetectable in plain PVA meshes. In vitrocytocompatibility studies showed a significant increase in viability, proliferation, and metabolic activity of the seeded C2C12 myoblast on EUNp-PVA mesh compared to controls. Interestingly, EUNp-PVA nanofibers supported reorganization of the C2C12 myoblast, with comparatively longer and wider myotube-like structures formed. Our results suggest that an EUNp-PVA composite nanofibrous scaffold with inherent electroconductive properties of incorporated EUNp and topographical cues of PVA nanofibers could be an excellent biomaterial scaffold for skeletal muscle tissue engineering applications.

Three-Dimensional Hierarchical Nanofibrous Collagen Scaffold Fabricated Using Fibrillated Collagen and Pluronic F-127 for Regenerating Bone Tissue.

It is well known that a nanoscale fibrous structure can provide a unique stage for encouraging reasonable cell activities including attachment and proliferation owing to its similar topological structure to the extracellular matrix. Hence, the structure has been widely applied in tissue regeneration. Type-I collagen has been typically used as a typical tissue regenerative material owing to its biocompatibility and abundance, although it has potential for antigenicity. In particular, collagen has been fabricated in two different forms, porous spongy and nanofibers. However, although the structures provided outstanding cellular activities, they exhibit disadvantages such as low cell migration capabilities in a spongy scaffold owing to the low degree of interconnected macropores and low processability in fabricating three-dimensional (3D) structures in an electrospun collagen scaffold. Hence, the fabrication of 3D nanofibrous collagen structures with interconnected macropores can be extremely challenging. In this work, we developed a 3D collagen scaffold consisting of multilayered nanofibrous struts fabricated using a 3D printing process and pluronic F-127 (PF-127), which is a thermoreversible polymer. After optimizing various processing conditions, we successfully achieved the 3D nanofibrous collagen mesh structure with fully interconnected macropores. A 3D-printed collagen scaffold that was fabricated using a low-temperature printing process was applied as a control. Through various analyses using physical properties (surface morphology, fibronectin absorption, mechanical properties, etc.) and cell activities using preosteoblasts (MC3T3-E1), we are convinced that the newly designed 3D nanofibrous collagen scaffold can be a new promising scaffold for bone tissue engineering.

“Green-reduced” graphene oxide induces in vitro an enhanced biomimetic mineralization of polycaprolactone electrospun meshes

A novel green method for graphene oxide (GO) reduction via ascorbic acid has been adopted to realize bio-friendly reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibrous meshes, as substrates for bone tissue engineering applications. PCL fibrous mats enriched with either RGO or GO (0.25 wt%) were fabricated to recapitulate the fibrillar structure of the bone extracellular matrix (ECM) and the effects of RGO incorporation on the structural proprieties, biomechanics and bioactivity of the nano-composites meshes were evaluated. RGO/PCL fibrous meshes displayed superior mechanical properties (i.e. Young's Modulus and ultimate tensile strength) besides supporting noticeably improved cell adhesion, spreading and proliferation of fibroblasts and osteoblast-like cell lines. Furthermore, RGO-based electrospun substrates enhanced in vitro calcium deposition in the ECM produced by osteoblast-like cells, which was paralleled, in human mesenchymal stem cells grown onto the same substrates, by an increased expression of the osteogenic markers mandatory for mineralization. In this respect, the capability of graphene-based materials to adsorb osteogenic factors cooperates synergically with the rougher surface of RGO/PCL-based materials, evidenced by AFM analysis, to ignite mineralization of the neodeposited matrix and to promote the osteogenic commitment of the cultured cell in the surrounding microenvironment.

Elastin‐based polymer: synthesis, characterization and examination of its miscibility characteristics with poly(vinyl alcohol) and electrospinning of the miscible blends

AbstractMiscibility is an important factor for peptide‐based polymer blends for employment in the pharmaceutical, drug delivery and biomedical fields. The current study presents the synthesis of a repeating sequence of elastin, poly(GVGIP), characterized using1H NMR and13C NMR spectroscopy, and an investigation of its miscibility characteristics with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) over a broad range of composition in solid and solution phase using various analytical techniques. The miscibility behaviour of the blend solutions was established quantitatively by the analysis of various parameters of simple viscometric measurements. The results confirmed the miscibility of the blends containing up to 50% of the polypeptide. Further, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated the existence of intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the two polymers in the blends. Scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction revealed the change in surface morphology and crystallinity for blend films. Differential scanning calorimetry demonstrated a single glass transition temperature of the blend films. Interestingly, long, thin nanofibre meshes were also successfully prepared through electrospinning of poly(GVGIP)/PVA blends from aqueous solutions at a very low concentration (5 wt%). © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry

One-step fabrication of biomimetic PVDF-BaTiO3 nanofibrous composite using DoE

Dielectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and Barium titanate (BaTiO3)-PVDF nano-fibrous composites were made using the electrospinning process based on a design of experiments approach. An ultrasonication process was optimized using 2 k factorial DoE approach to disperse BaTiO3 particles in PVDF solution in DMF. Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the microstructure of the fabricated mesh. The FT-IR and Raman analysis were carried out to investigate the crystal structure of the prepared mesh. Surface morphology contribution to the adhesive property of the composite was explained through contact angle measurements. The capacitance of the prepared PVDF-BaTiO3 nanofibrous mesh was a more than 40% increase over the pure PVDF nanofibers. The results obtained indicates that electrospinning offers a potential way to produce nanofibers with desired crystalline nature which was not observed in molded samples. In addition, BaTiO3 can be used to increase the capacitance, desired surface characteristics of the PVDF nanofibers which can find potential application as flexible piezoelectric sensor mimicking biological skin for use in structural health monitoring applications.

Solution growth of 3D MnO2 mesh comprising 1D nanofibres as a novel sensor for selective and sensitive detection of biomolecules

This work is the first report describing the solution grown 3D manganese oxide nanofibrous (MnO2 NFs) mesh and its potential for the simultaneous detection of biomolecules such as ascorbic acid and uric acid. The mesh is synthesized by a facile, one-pot, and cost-effective hydrothermal approach without using any template or structure directing compound. The morphology consists of randomly placed nanofibres possessing a diameter in the range of 10–25 nm, and length of several micron; constituting a highly porous and flexible material. The electrochemical potential was examined by recording cyclic voltammetry signals towards ascorbic acid and uric acid. The special mesh morphology offers a large surface area to promote enhanced electrochemical activity, and also provided a macroporous network that supported efficient mass transport. Additionally, the strong electronic cloud and roughness of MnO2 NFs mesh facilitated the fast oxidation of species at very low potential. The lower detection limit was found to be 1.33 µM (S/N = 3) and 1.03 µM (S/N = 3) for ascorbic acid and uric acid, respectively. The MnO2 NFs mesh modified electrodes can robustly differentiate both of them by giving well separate signals (Δ = 500 mV) indicating capability of the material towards selective detection. The sensor has been successfully applied to human blood and urine samples and the recoveries were found statistically significant. These results demonstrate the practical feasibility of 3D mesh to develop sensors for the accurate diagnosis of clinically important molecules.

Establishment of a Human iPSC- and Nanofiber-Based Microphysiological Blood-Brain Barrier System.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is an active and complex diffusion barrier that separates the circulating blood from the brain and extracellular fluid, regulates nutrient transportation, and provides protection against various toxic compounds and pathogens. Creating an in vitro microphysiological BBB system, particularly with relevant human cell types, will significantly facilitate the research of neuropharmaceutical drug delivery, screening, and transport, as well as improve our understanding of pathologies that are due to BBB damage. Currently, most of the in vitro BBB models are generated by culturing rodent astrocytes and endothelial cells, using commercially available transwell membranes. Those membranes are made of plastic biopolymers that are nonbiodegradable, porous, and stiff. In addition, distinct from rodent astrocytes, human astrocytes possess unique cell complexity and physiology, which are among the few characteristics that differentiate human brains from rodent brains. In this study, we established a novel human BBB microphysiologocal system, consisting of a three-dimensionally printed holder with a electrospun poly(lactic- co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanofibrous mesh, a bilayer coculture of human astrocytes, and endothelial cells, derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), on the electrospun PLGA mesh. This human BBB model achieved significant barrier integrity with tight junction protein expression, an effective permeability to sodium fluorescein, and higher transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) comparing to electrospun mesh-based counterparts. Moreover, the coculture of hiPSC-derived astrocytes and endothielial cells promoted the tight junction protein expression and the TEER value. We further verified the barrier functions of our BBB model with antibrain tumor drugs (paclitaxel and bortezomib) and a neurotoxic peptide (amyloid β 1-42). The human microphysiological system generated in this study will potentially provide a new, powerful tool for research on human BBB physiology and pathology.

Induction of zonal-specific cellular morphology and matrix synthesis for biomimetic cartilage regeneration using hybrid scaffolds.

Cartilage is anisotropic in nature and organized into distinct zones. Our goal was to develop zonal-specific three-dimensional hybrid scaffolds which could induce the generation of zonal-specific cellular morphology and extracellular matrix (ECM) composition. The superficial and middle zones comprised two layers of hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel which enveloped specifically orientated or randomly arranged polylactic acid nanofibre meshes. The deep zone comprised a HA hydrogel with multiple vertical channels. Primary bovine chondrocytes were seeded into the individual zonal scaffolds, cultured for 14 days and then the ECM was analysed. The aligned nanofibre mesh used in the superficial zone induced an elongated cell morphology, lower glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and collagen II production, and higher cell proliferation and collagen I production than the cells in the middle zone scaffold. Within the middle zone scaffold, which comprised a randomly orientated nanofibre mesh, the cells were clustered and expressed more collagen II. The deep zone scaffold induced the highest GAG production, the lowest cell proliferation and the lowest collagen I expression of the three zones. Assembling the three zones and stabilizing the arrangement with a HA hydrogel generated aligned, randomly aggregated and columnar cells in the superficial, middle and deep zones. This study presents a method to induce zonal-specific chondrocyte morphology and ECM production.

Morphology of a fibrin nanocoating influences dermal fibroblast behavior.

BackgroundOur study focuses on the fabrication of appropriate scaffolds for skin wound healing. This research brings valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms of adhesion, proliferation, and control of cell behavior through the extracellular matrix represented by synthetic biodegradable nanofibrous membranes coated by biomolecules.MethodsNanofibrous polylactic acid (PLA) membranes were prepared by a needle-less electrospinning technology. These membranes were coated with fibrin according to two preparation protocols, and additionally they were coated with fibronectin in order to increase the cell affinity for colonizing the PLA membranes. The adhesion, growth, and extracellular matrix protein production of neonatal human dermal fibroblasts were evaluated on the nanofibrous membranes.ResultsOur results showed that fibrin-coated membranes improved the adhesion and proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts. The morphology of the fibrin nanocoating seems to be crucial for the adhesion of fibroblasts, and consequently for their phenotypic maturation. Fibrin either covered the individual fibers in the membrane (F1 nanocoating), or covered the individual fibers and also formed a fine homogeneous nanofibrous mesh on the surface of the membrane (F2 nanocoating), depending on the mode of fibrin preparation. The fibroblasts on the membranes with the F1 nanocoating remained in their typical spindle-like shape. However, the cells on the F2 nanocoating were spread mostly in a polygon-like shape, and their proliferation was significantly higher. Fibronectin formed an additional mesh attached to the surface of the fibrin mesh, and further enhanced the cell adhesion and growth. The relative gene expression and protein production of collagen I and fibronectin were higher on the F2 nanocoating than on the F1 nanocoating.ConclusionA PLA membrane coated with a homogeneous fibrin mesh seems to be promising for the construction of temporary full-thickness skin tissue substitutes.

Electrohydrodynamic Printing of Microscale PEDOT:PSS-PEO Features with Tunable Conductive/Thermal Properties.

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing has been recently investigated as an effective technique to produce high-resolution conductive features. Most of the existing EHD printing studies for conductive features were based on metallic nanoparticle inks in a microdripping mode, which exhibited relatively low efficiency and commonly required high-temperature annealing process to achieve high conductivity. The EHD printing of high-resolution conductive features at a relatively low temperature and in a continuous cone-jetting mode is still challenging because the conductive inks might connect the charged nozzle, and the grounded conductive or semiconductive substrates to cause discharge and terminate the printing process. In this study, the EHD printing process of conductive polymers in a low-temperature cone-jetting mode was explored to fabricate conductive microstructures. The smallest width of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) lines was 27.25 ± 3.76 μm with a nozzle diameter of 100 μm. It was interesting to find that the electrohydrodynamically printed PEDOT:PSS-PEO features exhibited unique thermal properties when a dc voltage was applied. The conductive and thermal properties of the resultant features were highly dependent on the printing layer number. Microscale PEDOT:PSS features were further encapsulated into electrospun nanofibrous mesh to form a flexible sandwich structure. The EHD printing of PEDOT:PSS features with tunable conductive and thermal properties might be useful for the applications of flexible and wearable microdevices.

Lactic acid assisted fabrication of bioactive three-dimensional PLLA/β-TCP fibrous scaffold for biomedical application

Low-density, high porous bioactive fibrous scaffolds have attracted significant attention for tissue engineering. However, fabrication of biomimetic fibrous scaffolds having three-dimensional architecture along with bioactive materials still remains a challenging task for biomaterial scientists. Herein, for the first time, we developed a novel strategy to fabricate highly porous ß-tricalcium phosphate (ß-TCP) incorporated Poly (l-lactide) (PLLA) fibrous scaffold for bone tissue engineering. Blending of PLLA with its monomer, lactic acid (LA) produced the fluffy type highly porous nanofibrous mesh. The mass composition of the constituents of the blend solution was varied to control the morphology and packing of the nanofibers in the scaffold. The results showed that LA played the vital role in the generation of the 3D fluffy type fibrous mesh. ß-TCP particles were incorporated in the blend solution prior to the electrospinning solution, to fabricate ß-TCP incorporated PLLA fibrous scaffold. Later, LA was leached out by washing with distilled water, to avoid its adverse effect on biocompatibility. Digital and SEM images revealed the formation of spongy, low-density fibrous mesh. TEM images, IR, and TGA analysis confirmed the presence of ß-TCP nanoparticles in the nanofibers after leaching of LA. Incorporation of the ß-TCP enhanced the water uptake ability, in vitro bio-mineralization, and bioactivity of the fibrous scaffold. Confocal microscopy images showed that the pre-osteoblast cells seeded on the fluffy type fibrous mesh infiltrated throughout the depth of the scaffold, compared to no penetrating growth for the 2D scaffold. In vitro biocompatibility evaluated by CCK assay showed significantly higher growth for cells on the fluffy type scaffold, compared to the 2D scaffold. We demonstrated scaffolds suitability for biocompatibility and osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs as well. We believe that the fabrication of bioactive particle incorporated highly porous 3D fibrous scaffold will open a new avenue for tissue engineering applications.

978 - Synergy of nanofibrous meshes for the differentiation of transplanted mesenchymal stem cells into neuron-like cells around the injured cavernous nerve of rats

978 - Synergy of nanofibrous meshes for the differentiation of transplanted mesenchymal stem cells into neuron-like cells around the injured cavernous nerve of rats

Electrospun Poly(ε-caprolactone) Nanofibrous Mesh for Imiquimod Delivery in Melanoma Therapy.

Drug delivery systems (DDS) are commonly employed to administer drug-loaded composites to their therapeutic targets both in vitro and in vivo. Thus, we herein report the study of imiquimod-poly(ε-caprolactone) (IMQ-PCL) nanofibrous meshes for application in melanoma therapy. The preparation route employed was based on the electrospinning technique, with the melanoma cells being cultured on electrospun nanofibrous meshes to study their biocompatibility. All parameters employed, including the flow rate and polymer solution concentration, were examined to gain an improved understanding of the factors influencing the diameter and morphology of the electrospun fibre. The optimised parameters were employed to produce 12 IMQ-PCL nanofibrous meshes with diameters ranging from 100 to 900 nm to the melanoma cell viability. The relationship between the fibrous diameter and the imiquimod release profile was also determined using UV-Vis spectroscopy. In addition, similar results were obtained for the simulated imiquimod release profile obtained by COMSOL Multiphysics®. The IMQ-PCL nanofibrous meshes were found to decrease cell viability by ≥50%, with the number of cells dropping by ~10% over 48 h. As the cell viability was affected by the release of imiquimod, we believe that IMQ-PCL nanofibrous meshes are a promising drug delivery system for application in melanoma therapy.

Facile fabrication of spongy nanofibrous scaffold for tissue engineering applications

Herein, we present a novel strategy to fabricate high porous fluffy type Poly (L-lactide) (PLA) nanofibrous scaffold for tissue regeneration. Low-density nanofibrous scaffold was fabricated by electrospinning the blend of PLA and lactic acid (LA), followed by selective leaching of LA. Digital images, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) images, Infra-red (IR) spectra, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) curves revealed the formation of the low density biomimetic nanofibrous mesh. In vitro cell compatibility results indicated that as-fabricated PLA nanofibrous scaffold enhanced the cell proliferation and growth compared to the corresponding two-dimensional nanofibrous scaffold. Furthermore, confocal microscopy images showed that cells seeded on the fluffy type nanofibrous mesh infiltrated throughout the depth of the scaffold, compared to no penetrating growth for the two-dimensional scaffold. The fabrication of such fascinating materials may provide new insights into the design and development of the low density nanofibrous scaffolds for various tissue engineering applications.

The Use of Electrospinning Technique on Osteochondral Tissue Engineering.

Electrospinning, an electrostatic fiber fabrication technique, has attracted significant interest in recent years due to its versatility and ability to produce highly tunable nanofibrous meshes. These nanofibrous meshes have been investigated as promising tissue engineering scaffolds since they mimic the scale and morphology of the native extracellular matrix. The sub-micron diameter of fibers produced by this process presents various advantages like the high surface area to volume ratio, tunable porosity, and the ability to manipulate the nanofiber composition in order to get desired properties and functionality. Electrospun fibers can be oriented or arranged randomly, giving control over both mechanical properties and the biological response to the fibrous scaffold. Moreover, bioactive molecules can be integrated with the electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds in order to improve the cellular response. This chapter presents an overview of the developments on electrospun polymer nanofibers including processing, structure, and their applications in the field of osteochondral tissue engineering.

Hydro-nanofibrous mesh deep cell penetration: a strategy based on peeling of electrospun coaxial nanofibers

A two-step strategy for coaxial electrospinning and postelectrospinning is an effective method for fabricating superfine nanofibers composed of highly swellable hydrogels. Alginate and poly(ε-caprolactone) [PCL] were coelectrospun via fibrous meshes with a coaxial nozzle; alginate at the core was subsequently cross-linked in calcium chloride solution. The PCL sheath was removed from the meshes by repeated organic-phase washing. The peeling process was monitored by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry, and the complete removal of the PCL outer layers was confirmed by the thinning of the fiber volume. The obtained alginate hydronanofiber showed extreme water-swellability and mass erosion depending on the degree of cross-linking. We also measured the nanoscale and macroscale mechanical properties of a single nanofiber and of the whole mesh by atomic force microscopy and rheometry. Quantitative analysis of nanomechanical properties indicated that the hydronanofiber with higher cross-linking density had higher stiffness and Derjaguin-Müller-Toporov modulus. Cells laid on the mesh and the vertical infiltration distance were visualized and quantified by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Cells on the mesh with higher cross-linking density infiltrated deeply to the bottom of the mesh. Thus, hydrogel-like nanofibrous meshes are versatile matrices allowing for deep infiltration of cells throughout the mesh via manipulation of the mechanical properties of the nanofiber.

Bootstrapped Biocatalysis: Biofilm-Derived Materials as Reversibly Functionalizable Multienzyme Surfaces.

Cell-free biocatalysis systems offer many benefits for chemical manufacturing, but their widespread applicability is hindered by high costs associated with enzyme purification, modification, and immobilization on solid substrates, in addition to the cost of the material substrates themselves. Herein, we report a "bootstrapped" biocatalysis substrate material that is produced directly in bacterial culture and is derived from biofilm matrix proteins, which self-assemble into a nanofibrous mesh. We demonstrate that this material can simultaneously purify and immobilize multiple enzymes site specifically and directly from crude cell lysates by using a panel of genetically programmed, mutually orthogonal conjugation domains. We further demonstrate the utility of the technique in a bienzymatic stereoselective reduction coupled with a cofactor recycling scheme. The domains allow for several cycles of selective removal and replacement of enzymes under mild conditions to regenerate the catalyst system.

Highly flexible, mechanically stable, and sensitive NO2 gas sensors based on reduced graphene oxide nanofibrous mesh fabric for flexible electronics

Flexible gas sensors with high-sensitivity and good stability are essential components of wearable electronic devices. In this paper, we present a novel graphene fabric gas sensor composed of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheets and electrospun nylon-6 nanofibers. By combination the RGO with nanofiber, the graphene electronic fabrics show sensitive response to NO2 (13.6%@1ppm) at room temperature, and excellent mechanical reliability against repeated deformation during 5000 bending cycles with an extreme bending radius of 1.0mm.

Antioxidative study of Cerium Oxide nanoparticle functionalised PCL-Gelatin electrospun fibers for wound healing application

Skin wound healing involves a coordinated cellular response to achieve complete reepithelialisation. Elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the wound environment often pose a hindrance in wound healing resulting in impaired wound healing process. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeNPs) have the ability to protect the cells from oxidative damage by actively scavenging the ROS. Furthermore, matrices like nanofibers have also been explored for enhancing wound healing. In the current study CeNP functionalised polycaprolactone (PCL)-gelatin nanofiber (PGNPNF) mesh was fabricated by electrospinning and evaluated for its antioxidative potential. Wide angle XRD analysis of randomly oriented nanofibers revealed ∼2.6 times reduced crystallinity than pristine PCL which aided in rapid degradation of nanofibers and release of CeNP. However, bioactive composite made between nanoparticles and PCL-gelatin maintained the fibrous morphology of PGNPNF upto 14 days. The PGNPNF mesh exhibited a superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic activity due to the incorporated CeNPs. The PGNPNF mesh enhanced proliferation of 3T3-L1 cells by ∼48% as confirmed by alamar blue assay and SEM micrographs of cells grown on the nanofibrous mesh. Furthermore, the PGNPNF mesh scavenged ROS, which was measured by relative DCF intensity and fluorescence microscopy; and subsequently increased the viability and proliferation of cells by three folds as it alleviated the oxidative stress. Overall, the results of this study suggest the potential of CeNP functionalised PCL-gelatin nanofibrous mesh for wound healing applications.

Electrospun Nanofibrous Meshes Cultured With Wharton's Jelly Stem Cell: An Alternative for Cartilage Regeneration, Without the Need of Growth Factors.

Many efforts are being directed worldwide to the treatment of OA-focal lesions. The majority of those efforts comprise either the refinement of surgical techniques or combinations of biomaterials with various autologous cells. Herein, we tested electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibrous meshes for cartilage tissue engineering. For that, articular chondrocytes (hACs) isolated from human osteoarthritic joints and Wharton's Jelly Stem Cells (hWJSCs) are cultured on electrospun nanofiber meshes, without adding external growth factors. We observed higher glycosaminoglycans production and higher over-expression of cartilage-related genes from hWJSCs cultured with basal medium, when compared to hACs isolated from osteoarthritic joints. Moreover, the presence of sulfated proteoglycans and collagen type II is observed on both types of cell cultures. We believe that this effect is due to either the electrospun nanofibers topography or the intrinsic chondrogenic differentiation potential of hWJSCs. Therefore, we propose the electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds in combination with hWJSCs as a viable alternative to the commercial membranes used in autologous chondrogenic regeneration approaches.