Nanofiber Configuration of Electrospun Scaffolds Dictating Cell Behaviors and Cell-scaffold Interactions

Electrospun nanofibers are of the same length scale as the native extracellular matrix and have been extensively reported to facilitate adhesion and proliferation of cells and to promote tissue repair and regeneration. With a primary focus on tissue repair and regeneration using electrospun scaffolds, only a few studies involved electrospun nanofiber scaffolds directing cell behaviors have been reported. In this study, we prepared electrospun nanofiber scaffolds with distinct fiber configurations, namely, random and aligned orientations of nanofibers, as well as oriented yarns, and investigated their effects on cell behaviors. Our results showed that these scaffolds supported good proliferation and viability of murine fibroblasts. Fiber configuration profoundly influenced cell morphology and orientation but showed no effects on cell proliferation rate. The yarn scaffold had comparable total protein accumulation with the random and aligned scaffolds, but it supported a greater proliferation rate of fibroblasts with significantly elevated collagen deposition due to its porous fibrous configuration. Cell-seeded yarn scaffolds showed a greater Young’s modulus compared with cell-free controls as early as 1 week. Together with its unique fiber configuration similar to the native extracellular matrix of the myocardium, the yarn scaffold might be a suitable matrix material for modeling cardiac fibrotic disorders.