Abstract:
Tissue engineering is an optimal solution for tissue regeneration. Therefore, the
extracellular matrix (ECM) is used as a natural carrier system, as a source of physical
signals and the key modulator of tissue repair and regeneration. Among all the available
sources of the scaffold, the human umbilical cord can be regarded as the most suitable
one for the scaffold production as this material is a biological waste ,and meets the
standards that must be provided for the tissue engineering. Therefore, the ECM from the
decellularized umbilical cord was used. The prepared decellularized ECM was further
reconstituted into nanofibrous scaffolds using electrospinning approach, which provided a
nanofibrous structure with interconnected porous network characterized by high porosity,
large surface area and efficient interconnectivity, which are fundamental to cell
attachment, proliferation and tissue remodeling. The synthesized electrospun fibers were
characterized for assessing the physicochemical, mechanical, and biological features.
FTIR analysis revealed presence of ECM components within fibers and SEM analysis of
fibers gave morphological and homogeneity details. Hydrophilicity of the fibers was
evaluated by contact angle measurements; moreover, the fiber dimensions were checked
with a Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). For the assessment of the mechanical
properties of the scaffolds, DMA tests were performed which confirmed their usage for
load bearing application. Specific functional characterization tests to assess the swelling,
porosity and degradation performance under in vitro conditions were presented for
evaluating the repertoire of controlled biodegradability. Furthermore, in vitro drug release
studies prove the ability of the scaffold to release the drug in a controlled manner. Cell
compatibility was established on fibroblast cells and no cytotoxicity was observed.
