![]() Several of these focus on the solvent and the desirability of using water for biological systems rather than highly volatile solvents such as those based on fluoroalcohols which lead, for example to the denaturing of collagen. We identify the key potential advantages of electrospinning for constructing scaffolds and we explore some of the remaining challenges. This allows for the combination of electrical stimulation with the topographical guidance provided by aligned fiber scaffolds to improve axonal outgrowth and functional recovery in vivo.We review how the process of generating scaffolds for tissue engineering using the process of electrospinning sits alongside other more established pro cedures for the preparation of scaffolds. A conductive polymer was used so that electrical stimulation could be applied along the fibers during cell culture to examine if the additional external stimulation would further assist in axonal outgrowth when combined with the topographical cues of the fiber scaffolds. The core was spun with a conductive polymer, poly(3,4-ethyelenedixoythiophene): poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and the sheath was spun PLLA to create coaxial fibers with a conductive core and an insulating sheath. Here, we looked at altering the basic electrospinning set-up to spin core-sheath fibers. The axonal outgrowth observed for DRG cells cultured on free-standing fiber scaffolds was comparable to those grown on fibers with an underlying surface, indicating that cells follow the alignment of fibers even without an underlying support.Įlectrospinning coaxial fibers is a more complex application of electrospinning techniques that has been explored here as a method of creating a core-sheath fiber structure to act as a scaffold across glial scar tissue present in spinal cord injuries (SCIs). Fiber scaffolds were also spun on a flat substrate and used for in vitro cell studies for comparison. The scaffolds were then used for in vitro cell culture using chick dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Fibers were spun across the columns of the stages to produce free-standing fiber scaffolds. Stages were designed to allow for the formation of free-standing fiber scaffolds that were not supported by an underlying surface. This dissertation includes fabrication techniques, the results of neural cell cultures performed both in vivo and in vitro on electrospun fiber scaffolds, examines barriers to full functional recovery, and future directions for electrospinning and neural tissue engineering.Īligned, free-standing fiber scaffolds using poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) were developed as an in vitro model to study cell interaction on free-standing fiber scaffolds in vivo. Next generation scaffolds using bioactive materials, conductive polymers, and coaxial fiber structures are now being developed to improve the recovery of motor functions in in vivo studies. Due to the poor regeneration of neural tissues in the event of injury, tissue scaffolds are being used to promote the recovery and restoration of neural function. This dissertation examines various approaches by which electrospinning is being used for neural tissue engineering applications for the repair of injuries to the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Electrospinning can create a variety of polymer nanofibers and microfibers, and is being widely used to produce experimental tissue scaffolds for neural applications. A suitable tissue scaffold to support and assist in the repair of damaged tissues or cells is important for success in clinical trials and for injury recovery.
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