Electrospun 3D fibrous scaffolds for chronic wound repair

Abstract

Chronic wounds are difficult to heal spontaneously largely due to the corrupted extracellular matrix (ECM) where cell ingrowth is obstructed. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop a three-dimensional (3D) biodegradable scaffold mimicking native ECM to replace the missing or dysfunctional ECM, which may be an essential strategy for wound healing. The 3D fibrous scaffolds of poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) were successfully fabricated by liquid-collecting electrospinning, with 5~20 μm interconnected pores. Surface modification with the native ECM component aims at providing biological recognition for cell growth. Human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) successfully infiltrated into scaffolds at a depth of ~1400 μm after seven days of culturing, and showed significant progressive proliferation on scaffolds immobilized with collagen type I. In vivo models showed that chronic wounds treated with scaffolds had a faster healing rate. These results indicate that the 3D fibrous scaffolds may be a potential wound dressing for chronic wound repair.