Mesenchymal Cell Growth on PVA/MWCNT Electrospun Scaffold Under Dynamic Conditions

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Polymer Engineering Department, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115-114, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.

2 Anatomical Science Department, Faculty of Medical Science, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115-331, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.

Abstract

Hypothesis: The main components in tissue engineering are scaffolds, cells, and growth factors. Also, the use of a bioreactor can provide a greater similarity to tissue conditions by mimicking physiology. The hypothesis of this research is to confirm the synergistic effect of dynamic conditions on the adhesion, growth, and proliferation of mesenchymal cells cultured on a conductive electrospun scaffold.
Methods: Nanocomposite scaffolds based on polyvinyl alcohol and multiwalled carbon nanotubes at concentrations up to 0.3% (by wt) were prepared. SEM images were used to examine the fiber arrangement of the scaffolds, while mechanical and porosimetry tests were employed to assess their characteristics. A special bioreactor was designed and constructed to simulate dynamic conditions such as heart beat. The acridine orange test was used to examine cell growth.
Findings: SEM images revealed the fiber arrangement of nanocomposite scaffolds composed of nanofibers with diameters ranging from 60 to 90 nm, exhibiting a porosity of more than 80%. By applying heat treatment, water absorption decreased to less than 10%, and the contact angle ranged from 31 to 57 degrees, both indicating the structural stability of the samples in aqueous environments. The results of the mechanical properties test of the scaffolds showed an increase in the modulus of the scaffolds up to 2 times and a decrease in the elongation-at-break compared to the pure scaffold. The results of the cell viability test, cell morphology by SEM, and acridine orange cell staining after 48 h, confirmed the non-toxicity of the scaffolds. By comparing on pure scaffolds and nanocomposite scaffolds, the positive effect of conductivity on cell growth and proliferation is evident. Additionally, comparing the impact of dynamic conditions with static conditions reveals that nanocomposite scaffolds under dynamic conditions provided better cell proliferation and adhesion. The scaffold containing 0.2% (by wt) MWCNT exhibited the best biological performance.

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Iranian Journal of Polymer Science and Technology
Volume 38, Issue 4 - Serial Number 198
November and December 2025

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