Woven and knitted scaffolds for Tissue Engineering applications using a PCL-PLA nanofibrous core-sheath yarn

Doersam, Anna, Tsigkou, Olga and Jones, Celina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1824-7234 (2023) Woven and knitted scaffolds for Tissue Engineering applications using a PCL-PLA nanofibrous core-sheath yarn. In: 22nd AUTEX World Textile Conference, 26 June 2023 - 28 June 2023, Melbourne, Australia.

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Abstract

Textile technologies have received growing interest in the field of tissue engineering over the last decade to develop anisotropic, hierarchical structures that serve as temporary cell carriers. Precise control of fabric properties using different textile techniques offers great potential for clinically relevant and industry-transferable production methods. Textile patterns can be designed to control porosity, architecture, and mechanical properties that ultimately influence cell responses and promote cell activities. Nanostructured textile scaffolds engineered from nanofibrous yarn provide a large surface area relative to volume. Since cells can recognise and respond to nanotopographical features of their substrate, nanofibrous fabric surface closely mimics the fibrous surface of human tissue, favouring cell attachment, proliferation and differentiation. This cross-disciplinary project bridges biomaterial and textile engineering to demonstrate the potential of woven and knitted scaffolds. A novel electrospinning setup was used to develop a nanofibrous core-sheath yarn made of a polylactic acid (PLA) multifilament core and polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibrous shell. Plain woven and single jersey weft-knitted scaffolds were fabricated from the PCL-PLA core-sheath yarn. Scaffold microstructure and cell distribution were imaged using SEM. Relatively uniform and bead-free fibres with smooth surfaces were obtained. The plain woven structure exhibited greater surface density, whereas the knitted structure was more porous. Biocompatibility was evaluated and cell proliferation was determined by culturing NIH/3T3 and HUVECs on textile scaffolds by LIVE/DEAD assay. The results show the potential of textile-based scaffolds as a versatile and scalable approach for TE. This study contributes to developing and designing textile-based scaffolds for soft tissue engineering.