Biomimetic nanofibrous scaffolds: Preparation and characterization of chitin/silk fibroin blend nanofibers

• Published in: International journal of biological macromolecules 2006-05, Vol.38 (3), p.165-173
• Main Authors: Park, Ko Eun, Jung, Sung Youn, Lee, Seung Jin, Min, Byung-Moo, Park, Won Ho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biomimetics; Blend nanofiber; Cell Membrane - metabolism; Child; Child, Preschool; Chitin; Chitin - chemistry; Electrospinning; Fibroblast; Fibroblasts - metabolism; Fibroins - chemistry; Humans; Keratinocytes - metabolism; Macromolecular Substances - chemistry; Male; Matrix; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning - methods; Nanostructures - chemistry; Silk - chemistry; Silk fibroin; Water - metabolism
• ISSN: 0141-8130; 1879-0003
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2006.03.003

Electrospinning of chitin/silk fibroin (SF) blend solutions in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) was investigated to fabricate a biomimetic nanostructured scaffolds for tissue engineering. The morphology of the electrospun chitin/SF blend nanofibers was investigated with a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The average diameters of chitin/SF blend fibers decreased from 920 to 340 nm, with the increase of chitin content in blend compositions. The miscibility of chitin/SF blend fibers was examined by solution viscosity measurement. The chitin and SF were immiscible in the as-spun nanofibrous structure. The dimensional stability of chitin/SF blend nanofibers, with or without water vapor after-treatment, was conducted by immersing in water. As-spun SF-rich blend nanofibrous matrices were lost their fibrous structure after the water immersion for 24 h, and then changed into membrane-like structure. On the contrary, nanofibrous structures of water vapor-treated SF-rich blends were almost maintained. To assay the cytocompatibility and cell behavior on the chitin/SF blend nanofibrous scaffolds, cell attachment and spreading of normal human epidermal keratinocyte and fibroblasts seeded on the scaffolds were studied. Our results indicate that chitin/SF blend nanofibrous matrix, particularly the one that contained 75% chitin and 25% SF, could be a potential candidate for tissue engineering scaffolds because it has both biomimetic three-dimensional structure and an excellent cell attachment and spreading for NHEK and NHEF.