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Biomedical applications need tailor-made scaffolds that exhibit biomimetic mechanical properties. In this context, electrospinning has emerged as a technique with promising features for their production. However, the electrospun scaffolds mechanical behavior as a function of the microstructure and nanofiber properties is still poorly understood. Besides, multiscale constitutive modeling appears as a powerful design tool, not only able to characterize electrospun structures, but also to determine the fiber properties and scaffold microstructure that would achieve the objective response. With focus in this last aspect, we developed a multiscale constitutive model for nanofibrous structures that takes into account the material constitutive properties, scaffold microstructure, and nanofiber progressive recruitment. A statistical approach of the nanofibers tortuosity with a modified Gaussian distribution was adopted, which allowed for reproducing the scaffolds macroscopic nonlinear mechanical behavior. It was observed that such behavior arises even if the nanofibers response is considered as mechanically linear. Experimental data from pressure vs. diameter inflation tests of electrospun tubular scaffolds was used to validate the model. In addition, the influence of the microstructural parameters upon the macroscopic constitutive behavior was studied. Finally, the model parameters were adjusted to obtain a vascular graft able to reproduce the mechanical response of a target natural tissue. The current study presents a step towards understanding, characterizing, and optimizing the mechanical properties of nanofibrous biomaterials., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To these days, the production of a small diameter vascular graft (<6mm) with an appropriate and permanent response is still challenging. The mismatch in the grafts mechanical properties is one of the principal causes of failure, therefore their complete mechanical characterization is fundamental. In this work the mechanical response of electrospun bilayered small-diameter vascular grafts made of two different bioresorbable synthetic polymers, segmented poly(ester urethane) and poly(L-lactic acid), that mimic the biomechanical characteristics of elastin and collagen is investigated. A J-shaped response when subjected to internal pressure was observed as a cause of the nanofibrous layered structure, and the materials used. Compliance values were in the order of natural coronary arteries and very close to the bypass gold standard-saphenous vein. The suture retention strength and burst pressure values were also in the range of natural vessels. Therefore, the bilayered vascular grafts presented here are very promising for future application as small-diameter vessel replacements., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Development of successful small-diameter vascular grafts constitutes a real challenge to biomaterial engineering. In most cases these grafts fail in-vivo due to the presence of a mechanical mismatch between the native vessel and the vascular graft. Biomechanical characterization of real native vessels provides significant information for synthetic graft development. Electrospun nanofibrous vascular grafts emerge as a potential tailor made solution to this problem. PLLA-electrospun nanofibrous tubular structures were prepared and selected as model bioresorbable grafts. An experimental setup, using gold standard and high resolution ultrasound techniques, was adapted to characterize in vitro the poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) electrospun structures. The grafts were subjected to near physiologic pulsated pressure conditions, following the pressure-diameter loop approach and the criteria stated in the international standard for cardiovascular implants-tubular vascular prostheses. Additionally, ovine femoral arteries were subjected to a similar evaluation. Measurements of pressure and diameter variations allowed the estimation of dynamical compliance (%C, 10(-2) mmHg) and the pressure-strain elastic modulus (E(Pε), 10(6) dyn cm(-2)) of the abovementioned vessels (grafts and arteries). Nanofibrous PLLA showed a decrease in %C (1.38±0.21, 0.93±0.13 and 0.76±0.15) concomitant to an increase in EPε (10.57±0.97, 14.31±1.47 and 17.63±2.61) corresponding to pressure ranges of 50 to 90 mmHg, 80 to 120 mmHg and 100 to 150 mmHg, respectively. Furthermore, femoral arteries exhibited a decrease in %C (8.52±1.15 and 0.79±0.20) and an increase in E(Pε) (1.66±0.30 and 15.76±4.78) corresponding to pressure ranges of 50-90 mmHg (elastin zone) and 100-130 mmHg (collagen zone). Arterial mechanics framework, extensively applied in our previous works, was successfully used to characterize PLLA vascular grafts in vitro, although its application can be directly extended to in vivo experiences, in conscious and chronically instrumented animals. The specific design and construction of the electrospun nanofibrous PLLA vascular grafts assessed in this work, showed similar mechanical properties as the ones observed in femoral arteries, at the collagen pressure range., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The present study is focused on the electrospinning process as a versatile technique to obtain nanofibrous tubular structures for potential applications in vascular tissue engineering. A bilayered scaffolding structure composed of poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA)/bioresorbable segmented polyurethane (SPEU) blends for small-diameter (5mm) vascular bypass grafts was obtained by multilayering electrospinning. Polymer blend ratios were chosen to mimic the media and adventitia layers. The influence of the different electrospinning parameters into the fiber formation, fiber morphology and fiber mean diameter for PLLA, SPEU and two PLLA/SPEU blends were studied. Flat and two-parallel plate collectors were used to analyze the effect of the electrostatic field on the PLLA nanofiber alignment in the rotating mandrel. Membrane topography resulted in random or aligned nanofibrous structures depending on the auxiliary collector setup used. Finally, composition, surface hydrophilicity, thermal properties and morphology of nanofibrous scaffolds were characterized and discussed. Since the development of tissue engineered microvascular prostheses is still a challenge, the prepared scaffolding tubular structures are promising candidates for vascular tissue engineering., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The present study is focused on the electrospinning process as a versatile technique to obtain nanofibrous tubular structures for potential applications in vascular tissue engineering. A bilayered scaffolding structure composed of poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA)/bioresorbable segmented polyurethane (SPEU) blends for small-diameter (5 mm) vascular bypass grafts was obtained by multilayering electrospinning. Polymer blend ratios were chosen to mimic the media and adventitia layers. The influence of the different electrospinning parameters into the fiber formation, fiber morphology and fiber mean diameter for PLLA, SPEU and two PLLA/SPEU blends were studied. Flat and two-parallel plate collectors were used to analyze the effect of the electrostatic field on the PLLA nanofiber alignment in the rotating mandrel. Membrane topography resulted in random or aligned nanofibrous structures depending on the auxiliary collector setup used. Finally, composition, surface hydrophilicity, thermal properties and morphology of nanofibrous scaffolds were characterized and discussed. Since the development of tissue engineered microvascular prostheses is still a challenge, the prepared scaffolding tubular structures are promising candidates for vascular tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]