Acceleration of chondrogenic differentiation utilizing biphasic core-shell alginate sulfate electrospun nanofibrous scaffold

• Published in: Colloids and surfaces, B, Biointerfaces B, Biointerfaces, 2024-10, Vol.242, p.114080, Article 114080
• Main Authors: Omrani, Elmira, Haramshahi, Mohammad Amin, Najmoddin, Najmeh, Saeed, Mahdi, Pezeshki-Modaress, Mohamad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alginate sulfate; Cartilage tissue engineering; Core-shell fibers; Emulsion electrospinning; Stem cells
• ISSN: 0927-7765; 1873-4367; 1873-4367
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2024.114080

Engineering new biomedical materials with tailored physicochemical, mechanical and biological virtues in order to differentiate stem cells into chondrocytes for cartilage regeneration has garnered much scientific interest. In this study, core/shell nanofibrous scaffold based on poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) as a core material and alginate sulfate (AlgS)-poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) blend as shell materials (AlgS-PVA/PCL) was fabricated by emulsion electrospinning. In this vein, the influence of AlgS to PVA ratio (30:70, 50:50), organic to aqueous phase ratio (1:2, 1:3 and 1:5) and acid concentration (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 %) on nanofibers morphology were investigated. SEM images depicted that AlgS to PVA ratio of 30:70 and 50:50, organic to aqueous phase ratio of 1:3 and 1:5 and acid concentration of 30 % led to uniform, bead-free fibrous mats. AlgS-PVA/PCL scaffolds with AlgS to PVA ratio of 30:70 and organic to aqueous phase ratio of 1:3, showed admirable mechanical features, high porosity (>90 %) with desirable swelling ratio in wet condition. In vitro assays indicated that the AlgS-PVA/PCL scaffold surface had desirable interaction with stem cells and promotes cells attachment, proliferation and differentiation. Thus, we envision that this salient structure could be an intriguing construction as a cartilage tissue-engineered scaffold. [Display omitted] •Core/shell fibrous scaffold based on alginate sulfate (AlgS) was fabricated.•PCL as a core material enhances the mechanical features of the scaffold.•Presence of PVA improves the elctrospinnability and biological activity of the scaffold.•The solution parameters were optimized for emulsion electrospinning process.•Such engineered scaffold promotes chondrogenic differentiation.