Rationalization of specific structure formation in electrospinning process: Study on nano-fibrous PCL- and PLGA-based scaffolds

Formation of specific structures on poly--caprolactone (PCL) and poly lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) based electrospun mats is rationalized and the effect of interactive parameters; high voltage and flow rate on unique surface topography is evaluated. By increasing the collecting time in electrospinning process and enhancing fiber to fiber repulsion, surface characteristics of mats changes from nano- to micro-topography. In this study surface topography of the fabricated mats based on PCL and PLGA were assessed using AFM and SEM techniques to display the distinct phenomenon occurs on collected random fibers. In this research the rationale behind the formation of bump and flower like structures on fibrous mats was discussed. Because of great potential application of the fabricated substrates in the fields of medical purposes, cell-matrix interaction was evaluated and in vitro biological test with human dermal fibroblast and mouse L929 fibroblast cells was performed to study the cell responses to different roughness of nano-fibers collected at different time intervals. Our results show that after 7 days, cell proliferation is improved on PCL collected at 40 min in the case of human fibroblast cells and on PCL collected in 70 min in the case of L929 mouse fibroblast cells. (c) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 103A: 3927-3939, 2015.