Fabrication of core-sheath structured fibers for model drug release and tissue engineering by emulsion electrospinning

摘要

A nanofibrous core-sheath structured scaffold incorporated with bioactive agents is supposed to promote cell migration, proliferation, and gene expressions through the controllable and sustainable release of bioactive agents from the fibers and the preservation of bioactivity. Here we present a novel and effective emulsion electrospinning method for obtaining fluorescein isothio-cyanate-dextran (FITC-dextran)/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLCA) and type I collagen/PLGA fibrous composite scaffolds. Core-sheath structured fibers with average diameters of 665 nm for FITC-dextran/PLCA and 567 nm for collagen/PLGA were successfully fabricated. In vitro-release profile shows sustained release of encapsulated FITC-dextran from FITC-dextran/PLCA fibers for as long as 7 weeks. The osteoblastic activity of the collagen/PLCA nanofibrous scaffold was investigated employing the osteoblastic-like MC3T3-E1 cell line. The results of the lactate dehydrogenase assay suggested excellent cytocompatibility. Cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity were also ameliorated on this emulsion-electrospun collagen/PLCA fibrous scaffold. All the results indicated that this composite scaffold could support the early stages of osteoblast behavior as well as the immediate/late stages. The emulsion electrospinning process has potential for application in drug-release devices and as a 3-D scaffold in bone regeneration.