Fabrication of three-dimensional poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) mesh by electrospinning using different solvents with dry ice

Abstract

Scaffolds used in tissue engineering are usually porous for providing a passage and cell infiltration. In this study, we have investigated the effects of vapor pressure of solvents during electrospinning with dry ice on the pore sizes of the poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) meshes and the cell behaviors in these meshes. The meshes fabricated with dry ice using 1,1,1,3,3,3,-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP), which was the lowest vapor pressure of the experimental solvents, were not significantly different on the fiber connections as compared to those fabricated without dry ice. When electrospinning was processed using acetone with dry ice, numerous beads were observed in the meshes. The meshes which were fabricated using the tetrahydrofuran/dimethylformamide (THF/DMF) admixture with dry ice had loose connections between the fibers and showed large voids. In addition, the infiltration and the attachment of cells increased on these meshes due to large voids. Therefore, dry ice during electrospinning could cause an increase in pore size; however, these electrospinning processing was sensitive to the vapor pressure of the experimental solvent.