Fabrication of chitosan-based electrospun nanofiber scaffold: Amplification of biomechanical properties, structural stability, and seeded cell viability

The cell scaffolds should structurally be manufactured similar to the target tissue's extracellular matrix. This property should be maintained until cell differentiation. For this purpose, in the current study, electrospun nanofiber (EN) of chitosan (Ch)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), as a tissue-friend scaffold, was fabricated by electrospinning in different formulations and borax was utilized as an innovative cross-linking agent to up-regulate the structural and biomechanical properties. The weight loss, water absorbability, structural stability, tensile strength and biocompatibility of borax-included and non-included ENs were compared. The finest morphology, weight loss, water absorbability, structural stability in an aqueous environment, tensile strength and cell viability were found in the borax-included EN containing Ch۵۰.۰۰%v/PVA۵۰.۰۰%v. Moreover, The ENs exhibited appropriate antibacterial properties against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In conclusion, borax can be used to improve the mechanical and biocompatibility features of the Ch/PVA-based ENs. Furthermore, it could be suggested that borax-included Ch/PVA ENs can exhibit high appropriate biological properties, candidate them as an appropriate scaffold in the field of tissue engineering. However, in vivo trials are needed to clearly their side effects and advantages.

Keywords:

‎Biomaterial , Borax , Cell seeding , Cross linking , Electrospinning