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Electrospun scaffolds of silk fibroin and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) for endothelial cell growth

  • Tissue Engineering Constructs and Cell Substrates
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Abstract

Electrospun scaffolds of silk fibroin (SF) and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) were prepared to mimic the morphology and chemistry of the extracellular matrix. The SF/PLGA scaffolds were treated with ethanol to improve their usability. After ethanol treatment the scaffolds exhibited a smooth surface and uniform fibers. SF transformed from random coil conformation to β-sheet structure after ethanol treatment, so that the SF/PLGA scaffolds showed low hydrophilicity and dissolving rate in water. The mechanical properties and the hydrophilicity of the blended fibrous scaffolds were affected by the weight ratio of SF and PLGA. During degradation of ethanol-treated SF/PLGA scaffolds in vitro, the fibers became thin along with the degradation time. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were seeded onto the ethanol-treated nanofibrous scaffolds for cell viability, attachment and morphogenesis studies. These SF/PLGA scaffolds could enhance the viability, spreading and attachment of HUVECs. Based on these results, these ethanol-treated scaffolds are proposed to be a good candidate for endothelial cell growth.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31370969), the International Cooperation from Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant No. 2013DFG52040, 2008DFA51170), Ph.D. Programs Foundation of Ministry of Education of China (No. 20120032110073) and the Program of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities of China (No. B06006).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Weijin Road 92, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300072, China

    Wei Zhou, Yakai Feng, Jing Yang, Jiaxu Fan, Juan Lv, Jintang Guo & Xiangkui Ren

  2. Tianjin University - Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Joint Laboratory for Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Weijin Road 92, Tianjin, 300072, China

    Yakai Feng, Li Zhang, Jintang Guo & Xiangkui Ren

  3. Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Weijin Road 92, Tianjin, 300072, China

    Yakai Feng

  4. Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Chemical Engineering (Tianjin), Weijin Road 92, Tianjin, 300072, China

    Yakai Feng

  5. Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Longistics University of Chinese People’s Armed Police Force, Tianjin, 300162, China

    Wencheng Zhang

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  1. Wei Zhou
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  2. Yakai Feng
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Correspondence to Yakai Feng or Xiangkui Ren.

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Zhou, W., Feng, Y., Yang, J. et al. Electrospun scaffolds of silk fibroin and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) for endothelial cell growth. J Mater Sci: Mater Med 26, 56 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-015-5386-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-015-5386-6

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