Effects of multiwalled carbon nanotubes on electrospun poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-based nanocomposite scaffolds on neural cells proliferation

• Published in: Journal of biomedical materials research. Part B, Applied biomaterials Vol. 105; no. 5; pp. 934 - 943
• Main Authors: Lv, Zheng Jun, Liu, Yang, Miao, Hui, Leng, Zhi Qian, Guo, Jian Hui, Liu, Jing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2017
• Subjects: Alloys; Animals; Assaying; Astrocytes; Astrocytes - metabolism; Astrocytes - ultrastructure; Biomedical materials; Blending; Carbon; Cell culture; Cell Proliferation; Central nervous system; Demyelination; Electron microscopy; Electrospinning; Glycolic acid; Injuries; Materials research; Materials science; Mechanical properties; Morphology; Multi wall carbon nanotubes; Multiple sclerosis; Nanocomposites; Nanocomposites - chemistry; Nanocomposites - ultrastructure; Nanotechnology; Nanotubes; Nanotubes, Carbon - chemistry; Nanotubes, Carbon - ultrastructure; Nerves; Nervous system; Poly(lactide-co-glycolide); Polyglactin 910 - chemistry; Polylactide-co-glycolide; Porosity; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Regeneration; Scanning electron microscopy; Staining; Survival; Tensile tests; Tissue Scaffolds - chemistry; Transmission electron microscopy; neuron; glial cells; carbon nanotube; nerve regeneration; PLGA; electrospinning
• ISSN: 1552-4973; 1552-4981
• DOI: 10.1002/jbm.b.33620

The repair of nerves remains a major challenge in neuron-regeneration. In this study, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (PLGA/MWCNTs) nanofibrous scaffolds were fabricated by electrospinning method. The surface morphology, physical, and mechanical properties were characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy, and tensile tests, respectively. SEM analysis, Live/Dead staining, immunostaining assays were performed to evaluate neural cells growth. Blending PLGA with MWCNTs resulted in increase diameter and porosity of the scaffolds, and exhibited better mechanical properties. The results demonstrated that the scaffolds with higher MWCNTs concentration provided better survival for neural cells after 8 days of culture, especially for astrocytes growth. This could be useful in treating the disease like multiple sclerosis that causing central nervous system demyelination and axonal injury. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 934-943, 2017.