Fibrous/Hydrogel Composite Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering Applications

Abstract

The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays an essential role in regulating cellular behavior and preserving tissue homeostasis. It serves as a structural support and controls specific cellular activities such as adhesion, migration, proliferation, and differentiation by providing chemical and physiological cues. The aim of tissue engineering is to duplicate the complexity and functionality of natural ECM by developing biomimetic scaffolds. Fibrous scaffolds, like electrospun fibers, imitate the fibrous architecture of ECM but often fail to replicate the intricacy and necessary physiological signals present in native ECM, thus, challenging their ability to fully mimic the natural microenvironment. Hydrogels, which also function as biomaterial scaffolds have great biocompatibility and capacity to stimulate cellular responses. However, these frequently lack the structural and mechanical properties necessary for tissue engineering applications. To address these limitations, we propose a promising strategy: a fibrous/hydrogel composite scaffold system. This novel FHC combines the advantages of both fibrous and hydrogel scaffold types. Gelatin methacrylate nanofibers (GelMA NFs) were used as the fibrous component, that replicates the collagen network in the native microenvironment while hydrogel was made of four-arm poly (ethylene glycol) norbornene (PEG4NB). Electrospun GelMA mats were dispersed in PBS to get individual NFs, and then these NFs were incorporated in PEG4NB. GelMA NFs and PEG4NB were used to create a composite that exhibited enhanced mechanical properties without sacrificing cytocompatibility. Our results suggest that fibrous/hydrogel composite scaffold overcomes the drawbacks by replicating native ECM and improving the mechanical properties of PEG4NB. Overall, these fibrous/hydrogel composites have immense potential for a range of biomedical applications.