Improved infiltration of stem cells on electrospun nanofibers

Nanofibrous scaffolds have been recently used in the field of tissue engineering because of their nano-size structure which promotes cell attachment, function, proliferation and infiltration. In this study, nanofibrous polyethersulfone (PES) scaffolds was prepared via electrospinning. The scaffolds were surface modified by plasma treatment and collagen grafting. The surface changes then investigated by contact angle measurements and FTIR-ATR. The results proved grafting of the collagen on nanofibers surface and increased hydrophilicity after plasma treatment and collagen grafting. The cell interaction study was done using stem cells because of their ability to differentiate to different kinds of cell lines. The cells had normal morphology on nanofibers and showed very high infiltration through collagen grafted PES nanofibers. This infiltration capability is very useful and needed to make 3D scaffolds in tissue engineering.     

Formation of collagen-glycosaminoglycan blended nanofibrous scaffolds and their biological properties

The development of blended collagen and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) scaffolds can potentially be used in many soft tissue engineering applications since the scaffolds mimic the structure and biological function of native extracellular matrix (ECM). In this study, we were able to obtain novel nanofibrous collagen-GAG scaffolds by electrospinning collagen blended with chondroitin sulfate (CS), a widely used GAG, in a mixed solvent of trifluoroethanol and water. The electrospun collagen-GAG scaffold with 4% CS (COLL-CS-04) exhibited a uniform fiber structure with nanoscale diameters. A second collagen-GAG scaffold with 10% CS consisted of smaller diameter fibers but exhibited a broader diameter distribution due to the different solution properties in comparison with COLL-CS-04. After cross-linking with glutaraldehyde vapor, the collagen-GAG scaffolds became more biostable and were resistant to collagenase degradation. This is evidently a more favorable environment allowing increased proliferation of rabbit conjunctiva fibroblast on the scaffolds. Incorporation of CS into collagen nanofibers without cross-linking did not increase the biostability but still promoted cell growth. The potential of applying the nanoscale collagen-GAG scaffold in tissue engineering is significant since the nanodimension fibers made of natural ECM mimic closely the native ECM found in the human body. The high surface area characteristic of this scaffold may maximize cell-ECM interaction and promote tissue regeneration faster than other conventional scaffolds.     

Three-dimensional hierarchical composite scaffolds consisting of polycaprolactone, β-tricalcium phosphate, and collagen nanofibers: fabrication, physical properties, and in vitro cell activity for bone tissue regeneration

β-Tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and collagen have been widely used to regenerate various hard tissues, but although Bioceramics and collagen have various biological advantages with respect to cellular activity, their usage has been limited due to β-TCP's inherent brittleness and low mechanical properties, along with the low shape-ability of the three-dimensional collagen. To overcome these material deficiencies, we fabricated a new hierarchical scaffold that consisted of a melt-plotted polycaprolactone (PCL)/β-TCP composite and embedded collagen nanofibers. The fabrication process was combined with general melt-plotting methods and electrospinning. To evaluate the capability of this hierarchical scaffold to act as a biomaterial for bone tissue regeneration, physical and biological assessments were performed. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs of the fabricated scaffolds indicated that the β-TCP particles were uniformly embedded in PCL struts and that electrospun collagen nanofibers (diameter = 160 nm) were well layered between the composite struts. By accommodating the β-TCP and collagen nanofibers, the hierarchical composite scaffolds showed dramatic water-absorption ability (100% increase), increased hydrophilic properties (20%), and good mechanical properties similar to PCL/β-TCP composite. MTT assay and SEM images of cell-seeded scaffolds showed that the initial attachment of osteoblast-like cells (MG63) in the hierarchical scaffold was 2.2 times higher than that on the PCL/β-TCP composite scaffold. Additionally, the proliferation rate of the cells was about two times higher than that of the composite scaffold after 7 days of cell culture. Based on these results, we conclude that the collagen nanofibers and β-TCP particles in the scaffold provide good synergistic effects for cell activity.     

Fabrication,Characterization and Cellular Compatibility of Poly(Hydroxy Alkanoate) Composite Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Nerve Tissue Engineering

Tissue engineering techniques using a combination of polymeric scaffolds and cells represent a promising approach for nerve regeneration. We fabricated electrospun scaffolds by blending of Poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and Poly (3-hydroxy butyrate-co-3- hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) in different compositions in order to investigate their potential for the regeneration of the myelinic membrane. The thermal properties of the nanofibrous blends was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which indicated that the melting and glass temperatures, and crystallization degree of the blends decreased as the PHBV weight ratio increased. Raman spectroscopy also revealed that the full width at half height of the band centered at 1725 cm⁻¹ can be used to estimate the crystalline degree of the electrospun meshes. Random and aligned nanofibrous scaffolds were also fabricated by electrospinning of PHB and PHBV with or without type I collagen. The influence of blend composition, fiber alignment and collagen incorporation on Schwann cell (SCs) organization and function was investigated. SCs attached and proliferated over all scaffolds formulations up to 14 days. SCs grown on aligned PHB/PHBV/collagen fibers exhibited a bipolar morphology that oriented along the fiber direction, while SCs grown on the randomly oriented fibers had a multipolar morphology. Incorporation of collagen within nanofibers increased SCs proliferation on day 14, GDNF gene expression on day 7 and NGF secretion on day 6. The results of this study demonstrate that aligned PHB/PHBV electrospun nanofibers could find potential use as scaffolds for nerve tissue engineering applications and that the presence of type I collagen in the nanofibers improves cell differentiation.     

Bioactive nanofibers for fibroblastic differentiation of mesenchymal precursor cells for ligament/tendon tissue engineering applications

Mesenchymal stem cells and precursor cells are ideal candidates for tendon and ligament tissue engineering; however, for the stem cell-based approach to succeed, these cells would be required to proliferate and differentiate into tendon/ligament fibroblasts on the tissue engineering scaffold. Among the various fiber-based scaffolds that have been used in tendon/ligament tissue engineering, hybrid fibrous scaffolds comprising both microfibers and nanofibers have been recently shown to be particularly promising. With the nanofibrous coating presenting a biomimetic surface, the scaffolds can also potentially mimic the natural extracellular matrix in function by acting as a depot for sustained release of growth factors. In this study, we demonstrate that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) could be successfully incorporated, randomly dispersed within blend-electrospun nanofibers and released in a bioactive form over 1 week. The released bioactive bFGF activated tyrosine phosphorylation signaling within seeded BMSCs. The bFGF-releasing nanofibrous scaffolds facilitated BMSC proliferation, upregulated gene expression of tendon/ligament-specific ECM proteins, increased production and deposition of collagen and tenascin-C, reduced multipotency of the BMSCs and induced tendon/ligament-like fibroblastic differentiation, indicating their potential in tendon/ligament tissue engineering applications.     

Halloysite Nanoclay/Biopolymers Composite Materials in Tissue Engineering

Biocompatible materials for the fabrication of tissue substitutes are crucially important in the advancement of modern medicinal biotechnology. These materials, to serve their function, should be similar in physical, chemical, biological, and structural properties to native tissues which they are aimed to mimic. The porosity of artificial scaffolds is essential for normal nutrient transmission to cells, gas diffusion, and cell attachment and proliferation. Nanoscale inorganic additives and dopants are widely used to improve the functional properties of the polymer materials for tissue engineering. Among these inorganic dopants, halloysite nanotubes are arguably the most perspective candidates because of their biocompatibility and functional properties allowing to enhance significantly the mechanical and chemical stability of tissue engineering scaffolds. Here, this vibrant field of biotechnology for regenerative medicine is overviewed.     

Electrospinning of collagen nanofibers

Electrospinning is a fabrication process that uses an electric field to control the deposition of polymer fibers onto a target substrate. This electrostatic processing strategy can be used to fabricate fibrous polymer mats composed of fiber diameters ranging from several microns down to 100 nm or less. In this study, we describe how electrospinning can be adapted to produce tissue-engineering scaffolds composed of collagen nanofibers. Optimizing conditions for calfskin type I collagen produced a matrix composed of 100 nm fibers that exhibited the 67 nm banding pattern that is characteristic of native collagen. The structural properties of electrospun collagen varied with the tissue of origin (type I from skin vs type I from placenta), the isotype (type I vs type III), and the concentration of the collagen solution used to spin the fibers. Electrospinning is a rapid and efficient process that can be used to selectively deposit polymers in a random fashion or along a predetermined and defined axis. Toward that end, our experiments demonstrate that it is possible to tailor subtle mechanical properties into a matrix by controlling fiber orientation. The inherent properties of the electrospinning process make it possible to fabricate complex, and seamless, three-dimensional shapes. Electrospun collagen promotes cell growth and the penetration of cells into the engineered matrix. The structural, material, and biological properties of electrospun collagen suggest that this material may represent a nearly ideal tissue engineering scaffold.     

Biological matrices and bionanotechnology

A crucial step towards the goal of tissue engineering a heart valve will be the choice of scaffold onto which an appropriate cell phenotype can be seeded. Successful scaffold materials should be amenable to modification, have a controlled degradation, be compatible with the cells, lack cytotoxicity and not elicit an immune or inflammatory response. In addition, the scaffold should induce appropriate responses from the cells seeded onto it, such as cell attachment, proliferation and remodelling capacity, all of which should promote the formation of a tissue construct that can mimic the structure and function of the native valve. This paper discusses the various biological scaffolds that have been considered and are being studied for use in tissue engineering a heart valve. Also, strategies to enhance the biological communication between the scaffold and the cells seeded onto it as well as the use of bionanotechnology in the manufacture of scaffolds possessing the desired properties will be discussed.     

Characterization of the surface biocompatibility of the electrospun PCL-collagen nanofibers using fibroblasts

The effect of nanofiber surface coatings on the cell's proliferation behavior was studied. Individually collagen-coated poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibers (i.e., Collagen-r-PCL in the form of a core-shell structure) were prepared by a coaxial electrospinning technique. A roughly collagen-coated PCL nanofibrous matrix was also prepared by soaking the PCL matrix in a 10 mg/mL collagen solution overnight. These two types of coated nanofibers were then used to investigate differences in biological responses in terms of proliferation and cell morphology of human dermal fibroblasts (HDF). It was found that coatings of collagen on PCL nanofibrous matrix definitely favored cells proliferation, and the efficiency is coating means dependent. As compared to PCL, the HDF density on the Collagen-r-PCL nanofiber membrane almost increased linearly by 19.5% (2 days), 22.9% (4 days), and 31.8% (6 days). In contrast, the roughly collagen-coated PCL increased only by 5.5% (2 days), 11.0% (4 days), and 21.0% (6 days). SEM observation indicated that the Collagen-r-PCL nanofibers encouraged cell migration inside the scaffolds. These findings suggest that the Collagen-r-PCL nanofibers can be used as novel functional biomimetic nanofibers toward achieving excellent integration between cells and scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.     

Evaluation of biological protein-based collagen scaffolds in cartilage and musculoskeletal tissue engineering--a systematic review of the literature

The term tissue engineering is the technology that combines cells, engineering and biological/synthetic material in order to repair, replace or regenerate biological tissues such as bone, muscle, tendons and cartilage. The major human applications of tissue engineering are: skin, bone, cartilage, corneas, blood vessels, left mainstem bronchus and urinary structures. In this systematic review several criteria were identified as the most desirable characteristics of an ideal scaffold. These state that an ideal scaffolds needs to be biodegradable, possess mechanical strength, be highly porous, biocompatible, non-cytotoxic, non antigentic, stuitable for cell attachment, proliferation and differentiation, flexible and elastic, three dimensional, osteoconductive and support the transport of nutrients and metabolic waste. Subsequently, studies reporting on the various advantages and disadvantages of using collagen based scaffolds in musculoskeletal and cartilage tissue engineering were identified. The purpose of this review is to 1) provide a list of ideal characteristics of a scaffold as identified in the literature 2) identify different types of biological protein-based collagen scaffolds used in musculoskeletal and cartilage tissue engineering 3) assess how many of the criteria each scaffold type meets 4) weigh different scaffolds against each other according to their relative properties and shortcomings. The rationale behind this approach is that the ideal scaffold material has not yet been identified. Hence, this review will define how many of the identified ideal characteristics are fulfilled by natural collagen-based scaffolds and address the shortcomings of its use as found in the literature.     

Scaffolds for engineering smooth muscle under cyclic mechanical strain conditions

Cyclic mechanical strain has been demonstrated to enhance the development and function of engineered smooth muscle (SM) tissues, but appropriate scaffolds for engineering tissues under conditions of cyclic strain are currently lacking. These scaffolds must display elastic behavior, and be capable of inducing an appropriate smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotype in response to mechanical signals. In this study, we have characterized several scaffold types commonly utilized in tissue engineering applications in order to select scaffolds that exhibit elastic properties under appropriate cyclic strain conditions. The ability of the scaffolds to promote an appropriate SMC phenotype in engineered SM tissues under cyclic strain conditions was subsequently analyzed. Poly(L-lactic acid)-bonded polyglycolide fiber-based scaffolds and type I collagen sponges exhibited partially elastic mechanical properties under cyclic strain conditions, although the synthetic polymer scaffolds demonstrated significant permanent deformation after extended times of cyclic strain application. SM tissues engineered with type I collagen sponges subjected to cyclic strain were found to contain more elastin than control tissues, and the SMCs in these tissues exhibited a contractile phenotype. In contrast, SMCs in control tissues exhibited a structure more consistent with the nondifferentiated, synthetic phenotype. These studies indicate the appropriate choice of a scaffold for engineering tissues in a mechanically dynamic environment is dependent on the time frame of the mechanical stimulation, and elastic scaffolds allow for mechanically directed control of cell phenotype in engineered tissues.     

Biomimetic and bioactive nanofibrous scaffolds from electrospun composite nanofibers

Electrospinning is an enabling technology that can architecturally (in terms of geometry, morphology or topography) and biochemically fabricate engineered cellular scaffolds that mimic the native extracellular matrix (ECM). This is especially important and forms one of the essential paradigms in the area of tissue engineering. While biomimesis of the physical dimensions of native ECM's major constituents (eg, collagen) is no longer a fabrication-related challenge in tissue engineering research, conveying bioactivity to electrospun nanofibrous structures will determine the efficiency of utilizing electrospun nanofibers for regenerating biologically functional tissues. This can certainly be achieved through developing composite nanofibers. This article gives a brief overview on the current development and application status of employing electrospun composite nanofibers for constructing biomimetic and bioactive tissue scaffolds. Considering that composites consist of at least two material components and phases, this review details three different configurations of nanofibrous composite structures by using hybridizing basic binary material systems as example. These are components blended composite nanofiber, core-shell structured composite nanofiber, and nanofibrous mingled structure.     

Nanofibers and their applications in tissue engineering

Developing scaffolds that mimic the architecture of tissue at the nanoscale is one of the major challenges in the field of tissue engineering. The development of nanofibers has greatly enhanced the scope for fabricating scaffolds that can potentially meet this challenge. Currently, there are three techniques available for the synthesis of nanofibers: electrospinning, self-assembly, and phase separation. Of these techniques, electrospinning is the most widely studied technique and has also demonstrated the most promising results in terms of tissue engineering applications. The availability of a wide range of natural and synthetic biomaterials has broadened the scope for development of nanofibrous scaffolds, especially using the electrospinning technique. The three dimensional synthetic biodegradable scaffolds designed using nanofibers serve as an excellent framework for cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. Therefore, nanofibers, irrespective of their method of synthesis, have been used as scaffolds for musculoskeletal tissue engineering (including bone, cartilage, ligament, and skeletal muscle), skin tissue engineering, vascular tissue engineering, neural tissue engineering, and as carriers for the controlled delivery of drugs, proteins, and DNA. This review summarizes the currently available techniques for nanofiber synthesis and discusses the use of nanofibers in tissue engineering and drug delivery applications.     

Mechanical and biological performances of new scaffolds made of collagen hydrogels and fibroin microfibers for vascular tissue engineering

A microstructured composite material made of collagen hydrogel (matrix) and silk fibroin microfibers (randomly oriented reinforcing fibers) is investigated in order to conjugate the mechanical resistance of fibroin with the suitable biological performance of collagen to design new scaffolds for vascular tissue engineering. Results show that fibroin microfibers and collagen fibrils have suitable interfacial adhesion, and the scaffold exhibits improved mechanical properties if compared with a pure collagen hydrogel. Furthermore, the overall biological performance is improved.     

The influence of fibrous elastomer structure and porosity on matrix organization

Fibrous scaffolds are finding wide use in the field of tissue engineering, as they can be designed to mimic many native tissue properties and structures (e.g., cardiac tissue, meniscus). The influence of fiber alignment and scaffold architecture on cellular interactions and matrix organization was the focus of this study. Three scaffolds were fabricated from the photocrosslinkable elastomer poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS), with changes in fiber alignment (non-aligned (NA) versus aligned (AL)) and the introduction of a PEO sacrificial polymer population to the AL scaffold (composite (CO)). PEO removal led to an increase in scaffold porosity and maintenance of scaffold anisotropy, as evident through visualization, mechanical testing, and mass loss studies. Hydrated scaffolds possessed moduli that ranged between ～3-240 kPa, failing within the range of properties (<300 kPa) appropriate for soft tissue engineering. CO scaffolds were completely degraded as early as 16 days, whereas NA and AL scaffolds had ～90% mass loss after 21 days when monitored in vitro. Neonatal cardiomyocytes, used as a representative cell type, that were seeded onto the scaffolds maintained their viability and aligned along the surface of the AL and CO fibers. When implanted subcutaneously in rats, a model that is commonly used to investigate in vivo tissue responses to biomaterials, CO scaffolds were completely integrated at 2 weeks, whereas ～13% and ～16% of the NA and AL scaffolds, respectively remained acellular. However, all scaffolds were completely populated with cells at 4 weeks post-implantation. Polarized light microscopy was used to evaluate the collagen elaboration and orientation within the scaffold. An increase in the amount of collagen was observed for CO scaffolds and enhanced alignment of the nascent collagen was observed for AL and CO scaffolds compared to NA scaffolds. Thus, these results indicate that the scaffold architecture and porosity are important considerations in controlling tissue formation.     

Advances in polymeric systems for tissue engineering and biomedical applications

The characteristics of tissue engineered scaffolds are major concerns in the quest to fabricate ideal scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. The polymer scaffolds employed for tissue engineering applications should possess multifunctional properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability and favorable mechanical properties as it comes in direct contact with the body fluids in vivo. Additionally, the polymer system should also possess biomimetic architecture and should support stem cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation. As the progress in polymer technology continues, polymeric biomaterials have taken characteristics more closely related to that desired for tissue engineering and clinical needs. Stimuli responsive polymers also termed as smart biomaterials respond to stimuli such as pH, temperature, enzyme, antigen, glucose and electrical stimuli that are inherently present in living systems. This review highlights the exciting advancements in these polymeric systems that relate to biological and tissue engineering applications. Additionally, several aspects of technology namely scaffold fabrication methods and surface modifications to confer biological functionality to the polymers have also been discussed. The ultimate objective is to emphasize on these underutilized adaptive behaviors of the polymers so that novel applications and new generations of smart polymeric materials can be realized for biomedical and tissue engineering applications.     

Fabrication and characterization of electrospun chitosan nanofibers formed via templating with polyethylene oxide

Chitosan is an abundantly common, naturally occurring, polysaccharide biopolymer. Its biocompatible, biodegradable, and antimicrobial properties have led to significant research toward biological applications such as drug delivery, artificial tissue scaffolds for functional tissue engineering, and wound-healing dressings. For applications such as tissue scaffolding, formation of highly porous mats of nanometer-sized fibers, such as those fabricated via electrospinning, may be quite important. Previously, strong acidic solvents and blending with synthetic polymers have been used to achieve electrospun nanofibers containing chitosan. As an alternative approach, in this work, polyethylene oxide (PEO) has been used as a template to fabricate chitosan nanofibers by electrospinning in a core-sheath geometry, with the PEO sheath serving as a template for the chitosan core. Solutions of 3 wt % chitosan (in acetic acid) and 4 wt % PEO (in water) were found to have matching rheological properties that enabled efficient core-sheath fiber formation. After removing the PEO sheath by washing with deionized water, chitosan nanofibers were obtained. Electron microscopy confirmed nanofibers of approximately 250 nm diameter with a clear core-sheath geometry before sheath removal, and chitosan nanofibers of approximately 100 nm diameter after washing. The resultant fibers were characterized with IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, and the mechanical and electrical properties were evaluated.     

The Effect of Sterilization Methods on the Physical Properties of Silk Sericin Scaffolds

Protein-based biomaterials respond differently to sterilization methods. Since protein is a complex structure, heat, or irradiation may result in the loss of its physical or biological properties. Recent investigations have shown that sericin, a degumming silk protein, can be successfully formed into a 3-D scaffolds after mixing with other polymers which can be applied in skin tissue engineering. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of ethanol, ethylene oxide (EtO) and gamma irradiation on the sterilization of sericin scaffolds. The influence of these sterilization methods on the physical properties such as pore size, scaffold dimensions, swelling and mechanical properties, as well as the amount of sericin released from sericin/polyvinyl alcohol/glycerin scaffolds, were also investigated. Ethanol treatment was ineffective for sericin scaffold sterilization whereas gamma irradiation was the most effective technique for scaffold sterilization. Moreover, ethanol also caused significant changes in pore size resulting from shrinkage of the scaffold. Gamma-irradiated samples exhibited the highest swelling property, but they also lost the greatest amount of weight after immersion for 24 h compared with scaffolds obtained from other sterilization methods. The results of the maximum stress test and Young’s modulus showed that gamma-irradiated and ethanol-treated scaffolds are more flexible than the EtO-treated and untreated scaffolds. The amount of sericin released, which was related to its collagen promoting effect, was highest from the gamma-irradiated scaffold. The results of this study indicate that gamma irradiation should have the greatest potential for sterilizing sericin scaffolds for skin tissue engineering.     

Electrospun PLGA�Csilk fibroin�Ccollagen nanofibrous scaffolds for nerve tissue engineering

Electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds varying different materials are fabricated for tissue engineering. PLGA, silk fibroin, and collagen-derived scaffolds have been proved on good biocompatibility with neurons. However, no systematic studies have been performed to examine the PLGA-silk fibroin-collagen (PLGA-SF-COL) biocomposite fiber matrices for nerve tissue engineering. In this study, different weight ratio PLGA-SF-COL (50:25:25, 30:35:35) scaffolds were produced via electrospinning. The physical and mechanical properties were tested. The average fiber diameter ranged from 280 + 26 to 168 + 21 nm with high porosity and hydrophilicity; the tensile strength was 1.76 ± 0.32 and 1.25 ± 0.20 Mpa, respectively. The results demonstrated that electrospinning polymer blending is a simple and effective approach for fabricating novel biocomposite nanofibrous scaffolds. The properties of the scaffolds can be strongly influenced by the concentration of collagen and silk fibroin in the biocomposite. To assay the cytocompatibility, Schwann cells were seeded on the scaffolds; cell attachment, growth morphology, and proliferation were studied. SEM and MTT results confirmed that PLGA-SF-COL scaffolds particularly the one that contains 50% PLGA, 25% silk fibroin, and 25% collagen is more suitable for nerve tissue engineering compared to PLGA nanofibrous scaffolds.     

Electrospun poly (ɛ-caprolactone)/silk fibroin core-sheath nanofibers and their potential applications in tissue engineering and drug release

One of the key tenets of tissue engineering is to develop scaffold materials with favorable biodegradability, surface properties, outstanding mechanical strength and controlled drug release property. In this study, we generated core-sheath nanofibers composed of poly (?-caprolactone) (PCL) and silk fibroin (SF) blends via emulsion electrospinning. Nanofibrous scaffolds were characterized by combined techniques of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), contact angle and tensile measurements. An in vitro FITC release study was conducted to evaluate sustained release potential of the core-sheath structured nanofibers. We found that the conformation of SF contained in PCL/SF composite nanofibers was transformed from random coil to β-sheet when treated with methanol, leading to improved crystallinity and tensile strength of nanofibrous scaffolds. The hydrophobicity and diameter of nanofibers decreased when we increased the content of SF in PCL/SF composite nanofibers. Furthermore, we evaluated the potential of fabricated PCL/SF composite nanofibers as scaffold in vitro. The results confirmed that fabricated PCL/SF scaffolds improved cell attachment and proliferation. Our results demonstrated the feasibility to generate core-sheath nanofibers composed of PCL and SF using a single-nozzle technique. The produced nanofibrous scaffolds with sustained drug release have potential application in tissue engineering.