Core-Shell Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Repair of Meniscus Tears

Electrospinning is an attractive method of fabricating nanofibers that replicate the ultrastructure of the human meniscus. However, it is challenging to approximate the mechanical properties of meniscal tissue while maintaining the biocompatibility of collagen fibers. Our objective was to determine if functionalizing polylactic acid nanofibers with collagen would enhance their biocompatibility. We therefore used co-axial electrospinning to generate core-shell nanofibers with a core of polylactic acid for mechanical strength and a shell of collagen to enhance cell attachment and matrix synthesis. We characterized the nanostructure of the engineered scaffolds and measured the hydrophilic and mechanical properties. We assessed the performance of human meniscal cells seeded on co-axial electrospun scaffolds to produce meniscal tissue by gene expression and histology. Finally, we investigated whether these cell-seeded scaffolds could repair surgical tears created ex vivo in avascular meniscal explants. Histolo...