1Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran,
2, School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
3Advanced Magnetic Materials Research Center, School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
چکیده
Since the introduction of nanotechnology, nanoscale materials have been applied in various fields including pharmaceutical industry, medicine, and tissue engineering. Advances in nanoparticle (NP) production and demand for control over nanoscale systems have had significant impact on tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM). NPs with low toxicity, tailorable characteristics, targeted/stimuli-response delivery potential, and precise control over behavior (via external stimuli such as electric fields) have for improving engineered tissues and overcoming obstacles in TERM.
Nervous system damage caused by physical trauma or degenerative diseases can result in loss of sensory and motor function for patients. Intrinsically conducting polymers nanoparticles have shown promise in tissue engineering, as they can be manipulated non-invasively, are easily functionalized, and can be used to mechanically and electrically stimulate cells. By combining different types of biomaterials (hydrogels, nanoparticles, electrospun fibers) and incorporating electrical conducting elements, materials can provide multiple physical and chemical cues to promote regeneration.
The major objective of this work was to fabricate a conductive fibrous scaffold to imitate extra cellular matrix (ECM) for differentiation of neural stem cells. In this work, polypyrrole (PPy)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) conductive fibrous scaffolds were prepared via electrospinning. Using PVA/PPy conductive scaffolds with electrical stimulation can potentially improve cellular response and neural differentiation through mimicking the properties of native neural tissue. Electrical stimulation is another factor we have considered in this study. Presence of electrical current can be substantially effective in mimicking the electrochemical cues surrounding neural cells and differentiation of MSCs into the neural cell lines.
In this research the electrospinning properties of the scaffolds were optimised.. Morphology, porosity and fiber diameters of electrospun scaffolds were investigated. Chemistry of scaffolds were studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR. The prepared conductive PPy/PVA fibrous scaffolds showed suitable conductivity to deliver electrical signals.
