Biological Properties of Blend Nanofibrous Scaffolds from Poly(caprolactone)-Chitosan-Poly(vinyl alcohol)

Natural-synthetic polyblend nanofibrous scaffolds have attracted numerous research interests in regenerative medicine due to their high cell compatibility and appropriate biological, physical and mechanical properties. In the current study, poly(caprolactone)-chitosan-poly(vinyl alcohol) (PCL: Cs: PVA) nanofibrous blend scaffolds were prepared and their biological properties were investigated. In our previous studies we found a high efficacy in healing on rat and dog models for PCL: Cs: PVA nanofibers. In this study, the cell compatibility of scaffold was examined using MTS method and its high biological properties in cell adhesion and proliferation were proved. The scaffold shelf life was also studied using FTIR and DSC methods as well as cell culture test. The results showed that after one-year post-fabrication, the chemical bonds, thermal behavior and cell viability of scaffolds did not change obviously, so the minimum expiration time of the scaffold was found to be about 1 year. The in vitro degradation was also investigated by tracking the rate of weight loss at different time points in PBS solution in a 37 ºC incubator under mild shaking. A 90% weight loss was observed for the scaffold after 6 weeks in PBS solution. As a result, the PCL: Cs: PVA nanofibrous web due to its high biological properties and appropriate shelf life and biodegradation time is a good candidate to be used in medical applications.