Immobilization of silk fibroin on the surface of PCL nanofibrous scaffolds for tissue engineering applications

Poly(?‐caprolactone) (PCL) is explored in tissue engineering (TE) applications due to its biocompatibility, processability, and appropriate mechanical properties. However, its hydrophobic nature and lack of functional groups in its structure are major drawbacks of PCL‐based scaffolds limiting appropriate cell adhesion and proliferation. In this study, silk fibroin (SF) was immobilized on the surface of electrospun PCL nanofibers via covalent bonds in order to improve their hydrophilicity. To this end, the surface of PCL nanofibers was activated by ultraviolet (UV)–ozone irradiation followed by carboxylic functional groups immobilization on their surface by their immersion in acrylic acid under UV radiation and final immersion in SF solution. Furthermore, morphological, mechanical, contact angle, and Attenuated total reflection‐ Fourier transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR) were measured to assess the properties of the surface‐modified PCL nanofibers grafted with SF. ATR‐FTIR results confirmed the presence of SF on the surface of PCL nanofibers. Moreover, contact angle measurements of the PCL nanofibers grafted with SF showed the contact angle of zero indicating high hydrophilicity of modified nanofibers. In vitro cell culture studies using NIH 3T3 mouse fibroblasts confirmed enhanced cytocompatibility, cell adhesion, and proliferation of the SF‐treated PCL nanofibers. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46684.     

Gelatin shells strengthen polyvinyl alcohol core–shell nanofibers

In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and gelatin are coaxially electrospun into core–shell nanofibers to derive mechanical strength from PVA and bioactivity from gelatin. The core–shell nanofibers with PVA in the core and gelatin in the shell display an increased Young's modulus, improved tensile strength, and reduced plastic deformation than PVA nanofibers. When the order of gelatin and PVA is reversed in the core–shell nanofibers, however, the mechanical strengthening effects disappear. It thus suggests that the bioactive yet mechanically weak gelatin shell improves the molecular alignment of PVA in the core and transforms the weak, plastic PVA into a strong, elastic PVA. The use of a gelatin shell as a biological coating and a protecting barrier to strengthen the core in electrospinning presents a new strategy for fabricating advanced composite nanofibers.     

Coating of polyelectrolyte multilayer thin films on nanofibrous scaffolds to improve cell adhesion

The adhesion of L929 cells to poly(?‐caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibers was successfully improved via coating with polyelectrolyte multilayer thin films (PEMs), which enhanced the potential of this material as a scaffold in tissue engineering applications. With the electrostatic self‐assembly technique, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) and poly(sodium 4‐styrene sulfonate) (PSS) were formed as four‐bilayer PEMs on electrospun PCL nanofiber mats. Because PDADMAC and PSS are strong polyelectrolytes, they provided stable films with good adhesion on the fibers within a wide pH range suitable for the subsequent processes and conditions. PDADMAC and gelatin were also constructed as four‐bilayer PEMs on top of the PDADMAC‐ and PSS‐coated nanofibers with the expectation that the gelatin would improve the cell adhesion. L929 cells from mouse fibroblasts were then seeded on both uncoated and coated scaffolds to study the cytocompatibility and in vitro cell behavior. It was revealed by the 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay that both the uncoated and coated nanofiber mats were nontoxic as the cell viability was comparable to that of those cultured in the serum‐free medium that was used as a control. The MTT assay also demonstrated that cells proliferated more efficiently on the coated nanofibers than those on the uncoated ones during the 48‐h culture period. As observed by scanning electron microscopy, the cells spread well on the coated nanofibers, especially when gelatin was incorporated. The surface modification of PCL nanofiber mats described in this research is therefore an effective technique for improving cell adhesion. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Electrospun microporous gelatin–polycaprolactone blend tubular scaffold as a potential vascular biomaterial

The work reported involved the fabrication of an electrospun tubular conduit of a gelatin and polycaprolactone (PCL) blend as an adventitia‐equivalent construct. Gelatin was included as the matrix for increased biocompatibility with the addition of PCL for durability. This is contrary to most of the literature available for biomaterials based on blends of gelatin and PCL where PCL is the major matrix. The work includes the assiduous selection of key electrospinning parameters to obtain smooth bead‐free fibres with a narrow distribution of pore size and fibre diameter. Few reports elucidate the optimization of all electrospinning parameters to fabricate tubular conduits with a focus on obtaining homogeneous pores and fibres. This stepwise investigation would be unique for the fabrication of gelatin–PCL electrospun tubular constructs. The fabricated microfibrous gelatin–PCL constructs had pores of size ca 50–100 μm reportedly conducive for cell infiltration. The measured value of surface roughness of 57.99 ± 17.4 nm is reported to be favourable for protein adhesion and cell adhesion. The elastic modulus was observed to be similar to that of the tunica adventitia of the native artery. Preliminary in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility tests suggest safe applicability as a biomaterial. Minimal cytotoxicity was observed using MTT assay. Subcutaneous implantation of the scaffold demonstrated acute inflammation which decreased by day 15. The findings of this study could enable the fabrication of smooth bead‐free microfibrous gelatin–PCL tubular construct as viable biomaterial which can be included in a bilayer or a trilayer scaffold for vascular tissue engineering. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of Electrospinning Parameters on Gelatin/Poly(ϵ‐Caprolactone) Nanofiber Diameter

An electrospinning procedure was carried out to fabricate gelatin/poly(?‐caprolactone) (Gt/PCL) nanofibers. Response surface methodology based on a three‐level, four‐variable Box‐Behnken design technique was used to model the resultant diameter of the as‐spun nanofibers. A second‐order model was obtained to describe the relationship between the fiber diameter and the electrospinning parameters, namely Gt concentration, PCL concentration, content of acetic acid in the overall solvent, and content of Gt solution in the blend solution. The individual and the interactive effects of these parameters on the fiber diameter were determined. Validation experiments verified the accuracy of the model which provided a simple and effective method for fabricating nanofibers with a controllable and predictable fiber diameter.     

Empirical model to simulate morphology of electrospun polycaprolactone mats

This work is the first to report a study aimed at generating 3D virtual geometries that represent the microstructure of an electrospun fibrous mat comprised curly fibers. Polycaprolactone (PCL) mats are considered in our study as an example of such fibrous structures. We started with simulating the formation of PCL filaments and observed good agreement between the predicted and measured fiber diameters. In the absence of quantitative information about the shape of a curly PCL fiber, we treated these fibers as arrays of beads arranged on epitrochoid profiles. We then used the fiber deposition diameter and velocity in a mass-spring-damper (MSD) model to generate 3D fibrous geometries comprised hundreds of such curly fibers. The damping and spring constants in the MSD model were obtained through calibration with experimental data reported for single electrospun PCL nanofibers. The size of the epitrochoid-like fibers was obtained empirically through matching the average thickness of the resulting mats with those measured experimentally. With the calibrated code, we studied the effects of electrospinning conditions on the porosity of PCL nanofiber mats. It was found that increasing the voltage or decreasing the needle-to-collector distance results in PCL mats with thicker fibers, and consequently, lower porosities. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 48242.     

Dual drug release from CO2‐infused nanofibers via hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions

This study investigated the effects of hydrophobic–hydrophilic interactions on dual drug release from CO₂‐infused nanofibers scaffolds (PCL, PCL–gelatin, and PCL “core” PCL–gelatin “shell”) using BODIPY 493/503 and Rhodamine B fluorescent dyes as drug models. Favorable dye–scaffold interactions increased total dye loading and promoted steady, more linear release. Unfavorable dye–scaffold interactions reduced overall loading and led to a greater burst release of dye. However, when CO₂ was used to infuse dye into an unfavorable scaffold, the changes in loading and release were less pronounced. When two dyes were infused, these behaviors were accentuated due to interactions between the dissolved forms of the dyes. Core–shell composite nanofibers displayed radically different release properties versus pure PCL–gelatin fibers when treated with dyes via CO₂ infusion. Dye release from core–shell scaffolds was highly sensitive to both interactions with scaffolds and the phase of CO₂ used to infuse the compounds of interest. By using different phases of CO₂ to partition dyes into hydrophobic and hydrophilic sections of core–shell nanofibers, such interactions can be manipulated to develop a bimodal drug release system with potential application in drug delivery or tissue engineering. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42571.     

Morphological,thermal, and mechanical properties of poly(ε‐caprolactone)/poly(ε‐caprolactone)‐grafted‐cellulose nanocrystals mats produced by electrospinning

Electrospun nanocomposites of poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) incorporated with PCL‐grafted cellulose nanocrystals (PCL‐g‐CNC) were produced. PCL chains were grafted from cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) surface by ring‐opening polymerization. Grafting was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analyses (TGA). The resulting PCL‐g‐CNC were then incorporated into a PCL matrix at various loadings. Homogeneous nanofibers with average diameter decreasing with the addition of PCL‐g‐CNC were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). PCL‐g‐CNC domains incorporated into the PCL matrix were visualized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Thermal and mechanical properties of the mats were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), TGA and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The addition of PCL‐g‐CNC into the PCL matrix caused changes in the thermal behavior and crystallinity of the electrospun fibers. Significant improvements in Young's modulus and in strain at break with increasing PCL‐g‐CNC loadings were found. These results highlighted the great potential of cellulose nanocrystals as a reinforcement phase in electrospun PCL mats, which can be used as biomedical materials. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43445.     

Reinforcement of electrospun poly(ε‐caprolactone) scaffold using diopside nanopowder to promote biological and physical properties

Considerable efforts have been devoted toward the development of electrospun scaffolds based on poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) for bone tissue engineering. However, most of previous scaffolds have lacked the structural and mechanical strength to engineer bone tissue constructs with suitable biological functions. Here, we developed bioactive and relatively robust hybrid scaffolds composed of diopside nanopowder embedded PCL electrospun nanofibers. Incorporation of various concentrations of diopside nanopowder from 0 to 3 wt % within the PCL scaffolds notably improved tensile strength (eight‐fold) and elastic modulus (two‐fold). Moreover, the addition of diopside nanopowder significantly improved bioactivity and degradation rate compared to pure PCL scaffold which might be due to their superior hydrophilicity. We investigated the proliferation and spreading of SAOS‐II cells on electrospun scaffolds. Notably, electrospun PCL‐diopside scaffolds induced significantly enhanced cell proliferation and spreading. Overall, we concluded that PCL‐diopside scaffold could potentially be used to develop clinically relevant constructs for bone tissue engineering. However, the extended in vivo studies are essential to evaluate the role of PCL‐diopside fibrous scaffolds on the new bone growth and regeneration. Therefore, in vivo studies will be the subject of our future work. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134 , 44433.     

Three‐layered electrospun PVA/PCL/PVA nanofibrous mats containing tetracycline hydrochloride and phenytoin sodium: A case study on sustained control release,antibacterial, and cell culture properties

The main objective of this work was to prepare a tailor‐made electrospun nanofibrous samples based on poly(?‐caprolactone) (PCL) containing tetracycline hydrochloride (TC‐HCl) as a middle layer and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) including phenytoin sodium (PHT‐Na) as lateral layers. The characterizations of the three‐layered electrospun samples were carried out by using SEM, ATR‐FTIR spectroscopy along with swelling/weight loss, UV–vis spectrophotometry as well as HPLC, antibacterial and MTT tests. The SEM micrograph images showed that the average diameter of PCL nanofibers was decreased from 243 ± 7 nm to 181 ± 5 nm by adding TC‐HCl. The hydrolytic degradation of PVA nanofibers in the exposure of phosphate buffer solution (PBS) was confirmed by ATR‐FTIR results in which a change at the intensity of the characteristic peak located at 3333 cm^?1 corresponding to hydroxyl groups (? OH) was observed. The UV–vis outcomes revealed a sustained control release of TC‐HCl from the three‐layered nanofibrous samples (PVA/PCL/PVA) with an amount of about 43% compared to the PCL nanofibers which had an ultimate release of the drug about 79%. Furthermore, the HPLC chromatograms showed the released PHT‐Na from PVA nanofibers about 87%. Finally, the MTT assay along with the antibacterial evaluation exhibited that the surfaces of these electrospun three‐layered nanofibrous samples have no cytotoxicity as well as the controlled release of TC‐HCl from them enabled their prolonged use for preventing the bacterium growth such as S. aureus during 24‐h treatment time. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43309.     

Effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles on the in vitro degradation of electrospun polycaprolactone membranes in simulated body fluid

Even though the biodegradability of polycaprolactone (PCL) is well established, few studies have carried out on the effect of nanofillers on the in vitro degradability of electrospun PCL membranes. Thus, the authors incorporated common nanofiller zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles in electrospun PCL membranes. From the study of morphological schanges as well as the changes in crystallinity, it is clear that the ZnO nanoparticles accelerated the degradation of PCL. The FTIR results ascertain that the hydrolysis of the PCL nanofibers generates free hydroxyl and carbonyl groups in the bulk of the polymer. The tensile property of the PCL/ZnO nanocomposite membranes decreased with an increase in filler loading during degradation.     

Mechanical properties of poly(ε-caprolactone) composites with electrospun cellulose nanofibers surface modified by 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane

To enhance the reinforcement effects of regenerated cellulose nanofibers (RC-NF) in poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), we synthesized RC-NF-3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS), the surface-modified RC-NF by APS. The RC-NF were fabricated by the saponification of electrospun cellulose–acetate nanofibers. The surface modification by APS was confirmed by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). To enhance the mechanical property of PCL, the RC-NF and the RC-NF-APS were separately compounded into PCL by compression molding. It was found that, when the fiber concentration of RC-NF-APS was 17 wt %, the Young's modulus at room temperature increased from 698.0 to 744.7 MPa, whereas the storage modulus at 55 °C almost increased from 180 to 220 MPa. The micrographs of the fracture surface of the composites revealed that the surface modification prevented the pull-out of RC-NF from PCL. It was concluded that the mechanical properties of the composites were enhanced due to the improvement of the compatibility between RC-NF and PCL by the surface modification with APS. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48599.     

Electrospinning of heated gelatin‐sodium alginate‐water solutions

Most polymers that are electrospun are dissolved in a solvent and are spun at ambient temperature. Gelatin, a natural polymer, has excellent potential in medical applications as a biodegradable polymer, especially when combined with sodium alginate. Unfortunately, gelatin/water or gelatin/sodium alginate/water solutions cannot be electrospun at ambient temperature without the incorporation of substances that are considered potentially toxic to the human body, such as acetic acid. In this study, gelatin/water solutions with and without sodium alginate were successfully electrospun without the use of additional solvents by using heated water solutions. The effect of electrospinning parameters such as solution concentration and applied voltage on the nanofiber morphology of these solutions was studied. These nanofibers from heated gelatin/water solutions exhibited good morphology with an average size of 291 ± 67 nm at 18% concentration to 414 ± 52 nm at 20% concentration. Similar sizes were observed when sodium alginate was incorporated into the gelatin/water solutions, although the relationship was dependent upon the amount of sodium alginate in the solution as well as the total concentration. Typically, these nanofibers containing sodium alginate were produced at a lower gelatin concentration compared with the gelatin/water nanofibers because of the increase of viscosity and conductivity of the solutions due to the addition of the highly viscous and conductivity sodium alginate. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Preparation of electrospun nanofibers of carbon nanotube/polycaprolactone nanocomposite

Multiwalled carbon nanotube/polycaprolactone nanocomposites (MWNT/PCL) were prepared by in situ polymerization, whereby functionalized MWNTs (F-MWNTs) and unfunctionalized MWNTs (P-MWNTs) were used as reinforcing materials. The F-MWNTs were functionalized by Friedel-Crafts acylation, which introduced the aromatic amine (COC₆H₄-NH₂) groups on the side wall. The F-MWNTs were chemically bonded with the PCL chains in the F-MWNT/PCL, as indicated by the appearance of the amide II group in the FT-IR spectrum. The TGA thermograms showed that the F-MWNT/PCL had better thermal stability than PCL and P-MWNT/PCL. The PCL and the nanocomposite nanofibers were prepared by an electrospinning technique. The nanocomposites that contain more than 2 wt% of MWNTs were not able to be electrospun. The bead of the F-MWNT/PCL nanofiber was formed less than that of the P-MWNT/PCL. The nanocomposite nanofibers showed a relatively broader diameter than the pure PCL nanofibers. The MWNTs were embedded within the nanofibers and were well oriented along the axes of the electrospun nanofibers, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy.     

Evaluation of PCL/chitosan electrospun nanofibers for liver tissue engineering

In this investigation, a nanofibrous scaffold was fabricated through electrospinning of polycaprolactone (PCL) and chitosan (CS) using a novel collector to make better orientation and pore size for cell infiltration. PCL/CS nanofibers with 90-rpm collector speed and 40° angle between collector wires of the new collector have fewer diameters with better pore, size and nanofibers orientation. Mechanical properties, roughness parameters, topology, structure, hydrophilicity, and cell growing were considered for liver tissue engineering. The cell culture was done using epithelial liver mouse cells. The developed electrospun PCL/CS scaffold using novel collector would be an excellent matrix for biomedical applications especially liver tissue engineering.     

Polymeric nanofibers containing solid nanoparticles prepared by electrospinning and their applications

Generally, polymer solution or sol–gel is used to produce electrospun nanofibers via the electrospinning technique. In the utilized sol–gel, the metallic precursor should be soluble in a proper solvent since it has to hydrolyze and polycondensate in the final solution; this strategy straitens the applications of the electrospinning process and limits the category of the electrospinnable materials. In this study, we are discussing electrospinning of a colloidal solution process as an alternative strategy. We have utilized many solid nanopowders and different polymers as well. All the examined colloids have been successfully electrospun. According to the SEM and FE SEM analyses for the obtained nanofiber mats, the polymeric nanofibers could imprison the small nanoparticles; however, the big size ones were observed attaching the nanofiber mats. Successfully, the proposed strategy could be exploited to prepare polymeric nanofibers incorporating metal nanoparticles which might have interesting properties compared with the pristine. For instance, PCL/Ti nanofiber mats exhibited good bioactivity compared with pristine PCL. The proposed strategy can be considered as an innovated methodology to prepare a new class of the electrospun nanofiber mats which cannot be obtained by the conventional electrospinning technique.     

Nanofibrous scaffold prepared by electrospinning of poly(vinyl alcohol)/gelatin aqueous solutions

A series of nanofibrous scaffolds were prepared by electrospinning of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/gelatin aqueous solution. PVA and gelatin was dissolved in pure water and blended in full range, then being electrospun to prepared nanofibers, followed by being crosslinked with glutaraldehyde vapor and heat treatment to form nanofibrous scaffold. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) images of the nanofibers manifested that the fiber average diameters decreased from 290 to 90 nm with the increasing of gelatin. In vitro degradation rates of the nanofibers were also correlated with the composition and physical properties of electrospinning solutions. Cytocompatibility of the scaffolds was evaluated by cells morphology and MTT assay. The FESEM images revealed that NIH 3T3 fibroblasts spread and elongated actively on the scaffolds with spindle‐like and star‐type shape. The results of cell attachment and proliferation on the nanofibrous scaffolds suggested that the cytotoxicity of all samples are grade 1 or grade 0, indicating that the material had sound biosafety as biomaterials. Compared with pure PVA and gelatin scaffolds, the hybrid ones possess improved biocompatibility and controllability. These results indicate that the PVA/gelatin nanofibrous have potential as skin scaffolds or wound dressing. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Degradation and Mechanical Behavior of Fish Gelatin/Polycaprolactone AC Electrospun Nanofibrous Meshes

With the increasing interest in biopolymer nanofibers for diverse applications, the characterization of these materials in the physiological environment has become of equal interest and importance. This study performs first-time simulated body fluid (SBF) degradation and tensile mechanical analyses of blended fish gelatin (FGEL) and polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibrous meshes prepared by a high-throughput free-surface alternating field electrospinning. The thermally crosslinked FGEL/PCL nanofibrous materials with 84–96% porosity and up to 60 wt% PCL fraction demonstrate mass retention up to 88.4% after 14 days in SBF. The trends in the PCL crystallinity and FGEL secondary structure modification during the SBF degradation are analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Tensile tests of such porous, 0.1–2.2 mm thick FGEL/PCL nanofibrous meshes in SBF reveal the ultimate tensile strength, Young's modulus, and elongation at break within the ranges of 60–105 kPa, 0.3–1.6 MPa, and 20–70%, respectively, depending on the FGEL/PCL mass ratio. The results demonstrate that FGEL/PCL nanofibrous materials prepared from poorly miscible FGEL and PCL can be suitable for selected biomedical applications such as scaffolds for skin, cranial cruciate ligament, articular cartilage, or vascular tissue repair.     

Co‐electrospun composite nanofibers of blends of poly[(amino acid ester)phosphazene] and gelatin

Electrospinning is known as a simple and effective fabrication method to produce polymeric nanofibers suitable for biomedical applications. Many synthesized and natural polymers have been electrospun and reported in the literature; however, there is little information on the electrospinning of poly[(amino acid ester)phosphazene] and its blends with gelatin. Composite nanofibers were made by co‐dissolving poly[(alaninoethyl ester)_0.67(glycinoethyl ester)_0.33phosphazene] (PAGP) and gelatin in trifluoroethanol and co‐electrospinning. The co‐electrospun composite nanofibers from different mixing ratios (0, 10, 30, 50, 70 and 90 wt%) of gelatin to PAGP consisted of nanoscale fibers with a mean diameter ranging from approximately 300 nm to 1 µm. An increase in gelatin in the solution resulted in an increase of average fiber diameter. Transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometry measurements showed that gelatin core/PAGP shell nanofibers were formed when the content of gelatin in the hybrid was below 50 wt%, but homogeneous PAGP/gelatin composite nanofibers were obtained as the mixing ratios of gelatin to PAGP were increased up to 70 and 90 wt%. The study suggests that the interaction between gelatin and PAGP could help to stabilize PAGP/gelatin composite fibrous membranes in aqueous medium and improve the hydrophilicity of pure PAGP nanofibers. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Characterization and cell response of electrospun Rana chensinensis skin collagen/poly(l‐lactide) scaffolds with different fiber orientations

Collagen was extracted from Rana chensinensis skin supplied from byproducts via an acid enzymatic extraction method. The R. chensinensis skin collagen (RCSC) and poly(l ‐lactide) (PLLA) were blended at a 3:7 ratio in 1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) at a concentration of 10% (g/mL) and electrospun to produce nanofibers in an aligned and random orientation. For comparison, pure PLLA nanofibrous membranes with aligned and random nanofiber orientations were also produced. The secondary structure of the RCSC nanofibers was investigated by circular dichroism to confirm that the extracted substance was collagen. The presence of collagen in the blend nanofiber was verified by LSCM. The blended nanofibers showed uniform, smooth, and bead‐free morphologies and presented a smaller fiber diameter (278 and and 259 nm) than the pure the ones of PLLA (559 and and 439 nm) nanofibers. It was found that the addition of RCSC and the modification of the nanofiber's orientation affected the fiber's diameter and the crystallization of PLLA. The cell viability studies with human fibroblast cells demonstrated that the RCSC/PLLA nanofibrous membranes formed by electrospinning exhibited good biocompatibility and that the aligned scaffolds could regulate the cell morphology by inducing cell orientation. The empirical results in this study indicated that the aligned RCSC/PLLA nanofibrous membrane is a potential wound dressing candidate for skin regeneration. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45109.