Preparation and characterization of fiber-hydrogel composite scaffolds for three-dimensional culture of breast tumor cells.

A fiber-hydrogel composite scaffold loaded with platelet-rich plasma was developed to simulate the microenvironment of breast tumor using mechanical and composition cues. The elemental composition and chemical structure were tested to confirm the successful loading of each component in the scaffold. The surface morphology and physicochemical properties of the scaffolds were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, swelling test, and water contact angle test. The study demonstrates that: the composite scaffold has appropriate pores for mass transfer as well as surface characteristics for cell adhesion. The fibers significantly improve the mechanical properties of the hydrogel, and the composite scaffold has similar mechanical properties to the breast tumor((4.79±0.45)kPa). Tumor cells cultured within this scaffold have higher proliferation capacities than 2D culture by a 33.1% improvement. The cells in the composite scaffold show the ability to assemble into spheres, and less sensitive to chemotherapy when compared with 2D culture and fiber-free. It is anticipated that this composite scaffold will be helpful for in vitro oncology studies and antitumor drug efficacy prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]