2022 Annual Meeting
Development and Characterization of Layered Electrospun Nanofibers for Use in Seeding and Differentiation of Bone Cells
Bone loss, whether caused by osteoporosis, aging, or fractures, is a common issue frequently requiring the use of bone grafts as a method of treatment¹. Bone grafts are very scarce, often cause negative immune responses, are highly invasive, and are not always effective¹. In terms of alternative treatments for bone regeneration, electrospinning is a desirable process due to its accessibility and ability to produce nanoscopic, porous fibers resembling the extracellular matrix of bone¹,². Through the use of electrospinning, we propose that a mat composed of nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) in polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) will act as a functional base for the seeding of stromal cells, and encourage differentiation of bone cells³. PCL and nHA were specifically chosen as they are biodegradable and have been found to successfully encourage bone cell growth². PVA, a hydrophilic biodegradable polymer, was incorporated into the spun mat for the future purpose of including a bone protein into this layer¹,³. In order to incorporate the hydrophilic polymer, easily control spinning parameters, and ensure reproducibility, a tri-layered electrospun mat was produced using these two polymers. SEM imaging along with ImageJ software was used to determine the main characteristics of the spun mats. The tri-layered mat possessed random fiber orientation with fiber diameters of an ideal size for cell growth, but contained large amounts of beading in the fibers. Future work includes exploring methods such as dual and coaxial electrospinning and verifying electrospun mats can sustain cell life.