Nanofibers as Applicable Tools in Tissue Engineering

Tissue engineering has emerged as an excellent approach for the regeneration of damaged tissues. Previous methods such as tissue grafts and implants are associated with some limitations. Limited accessory to suitable donor and immune response are some of these limitations. So nanofibers play the role of synthetic three-dimensional extracellular matrix to support cell attachment and growth in order to produce tissue. Biodegradability and biocompatibility of biomaterials are two main factors which should be considered. Three method for nanofiber producing include; Electrospinning, Self-assembly and Phase separation. In self-assembly amphiphilic molecules including hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups are used. Similar groups interact with each other and assemble spontaneously. Diameter of these fibers is around 5–8nm. The nanofibers of phase separation method are similar in size to the natural polymers such as collagen (50–500 nm). In electrospining several parameters such as thickness, composition and porosity can be controlled. Diameter of fibers is in a wide range of 50 nm to1000 nm. High porosity and large surface area ate two main factors which make nanofiber a suitable candidate for tissue engineering. Some examples of natural polymers include; collagen, hyaluronic acid, gelatin, chitosan and elastinSynthetic nanofibers are as suitable as naturals. For example Polycaprolactone Polylactic-co-glycolide is good for bone and cartilage tissue. Carbon and alumina nanofibers are applicable for dental and orthopedic implants. Nanofibers can be applicable in other fields too. They can be used as sensor, filter, drug carrier, polymeric battery and scaffold in tissue engineering.

Keywords:

Nanofiber , Tissue Engineering , scaffold