Three-Dimensional Polycaprolactone Hierarchical Scaffolds Supplemented with Natural Biomaterials to Enhance Mesenchymal Stem Cell Proliferation

A hybrid technology that combines a three‐dimensional (3‐D) dispensing system with an electrospinning process was used to produce a hierarchical 3‐D scaffold consisting of micro‐sized polycaprolactone (PCL) strands and micro/nano‐sized fibres. The micro/nanofibre biocomposites electrospun with PCL/small intestine submucosa (SIS) and PCL/Silk fibroin were layered between melt‐plotted micro‐strands. The scaffold containing SIS exhibited a stronger hydrophilic property than other scaffolds due to the various hydrophilic components in SIS. The 3‐D hierarchical scaffold having biocomposites exhibited an incredibly enhanced initial cell attachment and proliferation of bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells relative to the normally designed 3‐D scaffold. 3‐D hierarchical scaffolds were fabricated by a 3‐D plotting system and an electrospinning process. To improve the cellular behaviour on the hierarchical 3‐D scaffold, two natural materials, small intestine submucosa (SIS) and silk fibroin, were electrospun with PCL. The bone marrow‐derived rat mesenchymal stem cells exhibited an incredible increase in cell proliferation on the 3‐D hierarchical scaffold containing natural biomaterials.