Abstract:

Biodegradable bolylactic acid (PLLA) and collagen were chosen as raw materials. PLLA and  polylactic acid/collagen (PLLA/Coll) nanofibrous scaffolds with different morphologies (randomness and alignment) were prepared by electrospinning to study the properties and the guiding function of aligned nanofiber for the cell growing. Firstly, the morphologies, chemical and mechanical characterizations of different nanofibrous scaffolds were carried out. Then mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were culred and the attachment and proliferation of cells on different scaffolds were evaluated. The results show that aligned nanofibers possess thinner fiber diameter, anisotropic morphology and performance, and the wettability and mechanical properties in parallel direction are better than those in perpendicular direction. Composite PLLA/Coll scaffolds have cell-recognition moieties, which can improve the attachment and proliferation of cells. Hence, MSCs cultured on aligned PLLA/Coll scaffolds express aligned spindle phenotype, more similar to the phenotype of native MSCs.

Key words: aligned nanofiber, collagen, scaffold material, mechanical performance, cell orientation