Advanced Nanofibrous Scaffolds to Influence Endothelial Cell Activity : Towards Improved Strategies for Vascularized Tissue Regeneration

Nanofibrous scaffolds can mimic the mechanical and structural properties of the natural extracellular matrix (ECM), and have shown high potential in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This thesis presents a general overview on nanofiber fabrication, with a specific focus on the design and application of nanofibrous scaffolds for vascularized tissue regeneration. Studied are nanofibrous scaffolds design, including nanofiber structure design and surface functionalization, to improve scaffolds properties, with a particular focus on electrospun scaffolds to influence endothelial cells activity. Scaffolds for vascular regeneration with enhanced functional properties by providing cells with structural cues or bioactive components are discussed. In vivo evaluation with these nanofibrous scaffolds are performed before their potential application in clinical vascular tissue engineering.