Biocompatible Polymer Based Nanofibers for Tissue Engineering

Abstract

In the past decade, various biocompatible polymer-based electrospun nanofiber scaffolds have been used extensively for tissue repair and regeneration. Variety of biomolecules, therapeutics, and other biologically active molecules have been embedded either into the scaffolds prior to electrospinning or functionalized on the surface of the nanofiber for drug delivery applications. Moreover, various electrospinning techniques have been developed in order to increase the porosity and surface area of nanofibers for higher bioavailability and improved cell growth and proliferation. The present chapter provides a brief and comprehensive review of the recent trends and challenges of the use of these nanofiber scaffolds with and without drugs for tissue engineering applications. Further, a few drug delivery studies of drug-incorporated scaffolds have been summarized in the present chapter. The chapter also briefly covers the drug delivery studies of the authors’ own work based on chloramphenicol-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone) scaffolds. Lastly, the summary and future prospects of tissue engineering have been deliberated.