Fabricationof Porous Poly(ε-caprolactone) ScaffoldsContaining Chitosan Nanofibers by Combining Extrusion Foaming, Leaching,and Freeze-Drying Methods.

Biomimeticporous poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds containingchitosan nanofibers (CSNF) were produced by using a hybrid processthat combines extrusion foaming, water-soluble phase leaching, andfreeze-drying. The high porosity and interconnectivity of the scaffoldswere achieved by supercritical fluid foaming and the addition of water-solublepoly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and sodium chloride (NaCl) as porogens.The porosity of the scaffolds after leaching was over 78%. The structureof the chitosan nanofibers introduced into the micropores of the scaffoldswas similar to the collagen bundles in the extracellular matrix (ECM).The chitosan nanofibers enhanced the compressive modulus of the scaffoldsslightly and improved the water uptake ability by as much as 35% comparedto the scaffolds without chitosan. A 3T3 fibroblast cell culture wasperformed to investigate the biocompatibility of the scaffolds, whichrevealed that the cells proliferated better on the PCL/chitosan scaffoldsthan on the PCL scaffolds. Regarding cell morphology, cells on thePCL scaffolds were rounded in the form of tumoroids, suggesting poorcell adhesion and poor cell–scaffold interactions. In contrast,cells on the PCL/chitosan scaffolds were elongated and spindle-shaped,indicating favorable cell–scaffold interactions. Therefore,the highly porous PCL scaffolds containing chitosan nanofibers fabricatedin this study have the potential to be used in tissue engineeringapplications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]