Characterization of electrospun nanocomposite scaffolds and biocompatibility with adipose-derived human mesenchymal stem cells

Electrospun nanocomposite scaffolds were fabricated by encapsulating multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) in poly (lactic acid) (PLA) nanofi bers. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confi rmed the fabrication of nanofi bers, and transmission electron microscopy identifi ed the alignment and dispersion of MWNT along the axis of the fi bers. Tensile testing showed an increase in the tensile modulus for a MWNT loading of 0.25 wt% compared with electrospun nanofi brous mats without MWNT reinforcement. Conductivity measurements indicated that the confi ned geometry of the fi brous system requires only minute doping to obtain signifi cant enhancements at 0.32 wt%. Adipose-derived human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were seeded on electrospun scaffolds containing 1 wt% MWNT and 0 wt% MWNT, to determine the effi cacy of the scaffolds for cell growth, and the effect of MWNT on hMSC viability and proliferation over two weeks in culture. Staining for live and dead cells and DNA quantifi cation indicated that the hMSCs were alive and proliferating through day 14. SEM images of hMSCs at 14 days showed morphological differences, with hMSCs on PLA well spread and hMSCs on PLA with 1% MWNT closely packed and longitudinally aligned.