FABRICATION OF ELECTROSPUN POLY (ETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE) SCAFFOLDS: CHARACTERIZATION AND THEIR POTENTIAL ON CELL PROLIFERATION IN VITRO

Fiber diameter and fiber mat porosity play a key role on cell adhesion and proliferation. Therefore, in this study, poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) scaffolds consisting of fibers with different diameters and pore sizes were fabricated from solutions with different concentrations (10, 15 and 20% wt.) by electrospinning. Also, the effect of fiber mat thickness was investigated. The scaffolds were characterized in terms of surface and mechanical properties. The electrospun fibers had diameters ranging from 0.575 to 2.825 mu m depending on the polymer concentration. Contact angle values showed that PET scaffolds had super hydrophobic structure. After characterization, fibroblast cells were cultured onto PET scaffolds and influence of different electrospinning parameters on cell proliferation was discussed. Fibroblast cells showed better proliferation on scaffolds consisting of smaller diameters. After evaluation of fibroblast cell proliferation on electrospun PET scaffolds, two different electrospun scaffolds were chosen: 1) scaffold with the smallest fiber diameter and 2) scaffold with better mechanical properties. Endothelial and keratinocyte cells were cultured on those two electrospun scaffolds. Cell adhesion and proliferation behavior of endothelial and keratinocyte cells on those scaffolds were investigated.