Development of Collagen/Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Chondroitin Sulfate and Collagen/Poly(vinyl alcohol)/HA Electrospun Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering

The combination of collagen (CG), chondroitin sulfate (CS), and hyaluronic acid (HA) with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) was explored to produce 3D tri-component scaffolds with enhanced mechanical properties and potential use in tissue engineering. The CG/PVA/CS and CG/PVA/HA electrospun scaffolds were crosslinked with citric acid, a cytocompatible crosslinker, which induced improved mechanical properties in both dry and wet state, especially with large elongation at break in the wet state. Ultimate tensile stress under the dry and wet state are significantly higher than those previously reported about collagen based nanofibers. IR, DSC and dielectric analysis demonstrated homogenous blending without phase separation and strong interactions between components. All scaffolds had swelling pH-sensitive behavior, making them promising materials for drug delivery systems. The nanofiber mats permitted adhesion and proliferation of human embryonic kidney cells; this cell line formed clusters that adapted well to the mats' surface, through which the cells extended their processes.