Artificial nerve scaffold of fascicles of poly (l-lactide) microfiber and knitted polyethylene terephthalate protector

A directional three-dimensional (3D) porous poly (l-lactide) (PLLA) scaffold was prepared by the simple method of dry-spinning a PLLA and knitted polyethylene terephthalate (PET) protector. We evaluated whether PLLA could be applied in nerve tissue regeneration. Differences in the porous structure of the protector regarding efficiency of mass transfer and interconnectivity according to knit density were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a cell penetration test. Neuroblastoma cells (N2a) were cultured to evaluate cell growth and cell arrangement on the fiber. The artificial nerve scaffold prepared in our study showed high interconnectivity, improved nutrient transfer, and low penetration ratio of cells resulting from the use of the protector. The scaffolds showed high initial cell adhesion after a 2-h cell culture and increased cell proliferation. Furthermore, cell arrangement in the direction of the fiber was clearly observed. Thus, the scaffolds can be applied to directional regeneration of various types of tissues.

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► Nerve scaffold by dry-spun PLLA and knitted PET protector.
► Clear cell arrangement and growth in the direction of the PLLA microfiber.
► PET protector for blocking of the surrounding tissue ingrowth.
► The scaffolds can be applied to directional regeneration of various types of tissues.