The aim of this study was to investigate electrospinning of emulsions to prepare core-shell type of nanofibers for being an innovative type of cell-growth scaffolds with potentially controllable drug-releasing capabilities. The hypothesis was that the poly(L-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone) [P(LLA-CL), shell] nanofibrous mats containing sorbitan monooleate (Span-80, core) could be appropriate scaffolds for growing pig iliac endothelium cells (PIECs). To test the hypothesis, the electrospinning of emulsions made of P(LLA-CL), chloroform, Span-80, and distilled water to prepare P(LLA-CL)/Span-80 nanofibers was systematically investigated. The effects of water content and P(LLA-CL) concentration in the emulsions on the morphologies of the nanofibers were studied. The morphologies, mechanical properties, and surface hydrophilicity of the nanofibrous mats were examined. The performance for being scaffolds was investigated by examination of the viability (anchorage and proliferation) and morphology of PIECs on the nanofibrous mats. There were no statistically significant differences in endothelial cell growth on the core-shell nanofibrous mats compared to the polymeric nanofibrous mats, and the P(LLA-CL)/Span-80 nanofiber mats could be used as an innovative type of scaffolds with potentially controllable drug-releasing capabilities.
Copyright 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.