Biocompatible Crosslinked Nanofibers of Poly(Vinyl Alcohol)/Carboxymethyl-Kappa-Carrageenan Produced by a Green Process

This study presents a new type of biocompatible nanofiber based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and carboxymethyl-kappa-carrageenan (CMKC) blends, produced with no generation of hazardous waste. The nanofibers are produced by electrospinning using PVA:CMKC blends with ratios of 1:0, 1:0.25, 1:0.4, 1:0.5, and 1:0.75 (w/w PVA:CMKC) in aqueous solution, followed by thermal crosslinking. The diameter of the fibers is in the nanometer scale and below 300 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy shows the presence of the carboxyl and sulfate groups in all the fibers with CMKC. The nanofibers from water-soluble polymers are stabilized by thermal crosslinking. The incorporation of CMKC improves cytocompatibility, biodegradability, cell growth, and cell adhesion, compared to PVA nanofibers. Furthermore, the incorporation of CMKC modulates phenotype of human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). PVA/CMKC nanofibers enhance ADSC response to osteogenic differentiation signals and are therefore good candidates for application in tissue engineering to support stem cells.

Automated summary

A new type of biocompatible nanofibers based on PVA and CMKC blends were produced without hazardous waste generation. The incorporation of CMKC improved cytocompatibility, biodegradability, cell growth, and cell adhesion, making these nanofibers good candidates for supporting stem cells in tissue engineering applications. The nanofibers were stabilized by thermal crosslinking and showed modulation of human ADSC phenotype towards osteogenic differentiation signals.