Poly( ε-caprolactone)/poly(glycerol sebacate) electrospun scaffolds for cardiac tissue engineering using benign solvents.

Poly(ε-caprolactone)/poly(glycerol sebacate) electrospun scaffolds for cardiac tissue engineering using benign solvents. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2019 Oct;103:109712 Authors: Vogt L, Rivera LR, Liverani L, Piegat A, El Fray M, Boccaccini AR Abstract Electrospun fibers based on combinations of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) have been studied for applications in cardiac tissue engineering. The aim of the present study is to demonstrate the fabrication of PCL and PGS prepolymer or mildly crosslinked PGS by electrospinning using less toxic solvents, like acetic acid, as opposed to conventional solvents such as chloroform or dichloromethane. The morphological and physiochemical properties and degradation susceptibility of the fiber mats were determined. A cell study using ST2 cells was performed to assess cytocompatibility. Neat PCL and PCL/PGS blends showed defect-free microstructures, whereby the average fiber diameter increased with the addition of PGS (0.8 ± 0.3 μm and 1.3 ± 0.7 μm, respectively). The mechanical properties were tested at 23 °C and 37 °C and showed higher values compared to native human myocardium. Degradation studies revealed a fast PGS degradation but the mildly cross-linked PGS resulted in acidification of the degradation medium. The biocompatibility was significantly increased when the samples were disinfected in 70% v/v ethanol in comparison to ultra-vi...
Source: Appl Human Sci - Category: Physiology Authors: Tags: Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl Source Type: research