Electrospinning of poly (ε-caprolactone-co-lactide)/Pluronic blended scaffolds for skin tissue engineering

For skin tissue engineering, an ideal scaffold should mimic the natural extracellular matrix of the native skin. In this study, we reported a novel elastic sub-micron fiber scaffold blending poly (ε-caprolactone-co-lactide) (PLCL) and Pluronic at different ratios by electrospinning. PLCL and Pluronic were co-electrospun with the ratio of 100/0, 99/1, 95/5, 90/10, 85/15, and 75/25. These scaffolds were evaluated in terms of fiber morphology, mechanical properties, and hydrophilicity for the purpose of culturing adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). Cell attachment and proliferation on the scaffolds were also evaluated to demonstrate the potential of serving as a skin graft. The results indicated that all of the electrospun fibers possessed smooth surface textures and interconnected porous structures with the average diameter ranging from approximately 750–1140 nm. The higher tensile strength was observed in 95/5 and 90/10 PLCL/Pluronic blended membranes, while further incorporation of Pluronic almost has no effect on tensile strength. The water contact angle was 85° for scaffold with the ratio of 99/1, while 0° for 90/10, 85/15, and 75/25. In addition, the elevation of Pluronic content in composition resulted in a corresponding increase in swelling behavior. Compared with PLCL, the better cell adhesion and proliferation potential of ADSCs was exhibited on all PLCL/Pluronic blended scaffolds. ADSCs on the blended scaffolds were highly elongated and well integrated with the surrounding fibers, indicating the good cytocompatibility of PLCL/Pluronic scaffolds. Thus, these blended scaffolds have the potentially high application prospect in the field of skin tissue engineering.

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