Nanofibras electrohiladas para usos terapéuticos

Abstract

Nanofibrous materials have a huge potential for the development of both extracellular matrices for tissue engineering applications and new systems for therapeutic agents delivery. In this chapter, the fundamentals for preparation of polymeric or composite nanofibrous matrices by electrospinning of solutions are briefly presented. Although electrospinning is a versatile technique for nanofiber production, the process is very complex and it depends on numerous processing parameters and intrinsic properties of the solution. The main variables that affect the process, the commercially available equipment and recent developments are described. In the biomedical field, several strategies for cell incorporation, techniques for pore enlargement and cellular infiltration improvement as well as cell behavior in nanofibrous structures, are presented. Among the main applications in the biomedical field, the ongoing research advances in tissue engineering (bone, cartilage, vascular, nerve and skin) and the development of multifunctional matrices for controlled release of therapeutic agents are discussed. Future perspectives on development and new applications of nanofibrous biomaterials are finally mentioned.