Reinforced levan-based electrospun nanofibers for application as adhesive scaffolds for tissue engineering

Abstract

The fabrication of scaffolds that mimic the structure of extracellular matrix molecules using electrospinning has great potential for various tissue engineering applications because it is advantageous for cell ingrowth and tissue formation. In particular, in the case of non-adhesive scaffolds, tissue adhesives (e.g., fibrin, glutaraldehyde) that provide strong adhesion to tissue surfaces or cells are sometimes used to efficiently utilize the desired function. Therefore, scaffolds that combine the advantages of adhesive materials while maintaining cell growth and functionality could further expand tissue engineering applications. In the present study, we developed nanofibers with greatly improved adhesive ability by blended cellulose acetate and levan, a bioadhesive polymer. Nanofibers manufactured through electrospinning exhibited stable mechanical properties through citric acid cross-linking and exhibited excellent adhesive performance with an adhesion strength of up to 3.67 MPa. In future research, we aim to expand the utility of bioadhesive nanofibers by loading nanofiber scaffolds with useful substances for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.