Synthesis and characterization of collagen/PLGA biodegradable skin scaffold fibers

The aim of this study is to investigate the applicability of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)/collagen composite scaffold for skin tissue engineering. PLGA and collagen were dissolved in HFIP as a common solvent and fibrous scaffolds were prepared by electrospinning method. The scaffolds were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FTIR spectroscopy, mercury porosimetry, tensile strength, biocompatibility assays and Biodegradation. Cytotoxicity and cell adhesion were tested for two cell line groups, human dermal fibroblast (HDF) and human keratinocyte (HaCat). SEM images showed appropriate cell adhesion to the scaffold for both cell lines. MTT assays indicated that the cell viability of HDF cells increased with time, but the number of HaCat cells decreased after 14 days. The ultimate tensile strength was suitable for skin substitute application, but its elongation at break was rather low. For successful clinical application of the PLGA/collagen scaffold, some properties especially mechanical strain needs to be improved.