Design, Development, and Evaluation of an Interwoven Electrospun Nanotextile Vascular Patch

Abstract

This study details the design and fabrication of woven electrospun nanotextile patches for vascular applications that meet the mechanical and biological requirements. Nanotextile vascular patches based on biodegradable polymers such as poly‐l‐lactic acid (PLLA) and poly(caprolactone)/collagen (PCL/Col) are fabricated by integrating the techniques of electrospinning and weaving. Fibrous polymeric nanoyarns obtained by electrospinning are strengthened via different postprocessing techniques of heat‐stretching and plying, to generate interwoven nanotextiles that are tightly packed, mechanically strong, yet flexible. The unique pattern of nanofibers within the nanotextile results in its exceptional anisotropic mechanical behavior, appropriate for a vascular patch material. Moreover, these matrices exhibit good hydrophilicity, protein adsorption, and hemocompatibility, when compared to the commercial controls such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Furthermore, endothelial cells adhered, spread, and proliferate well on the nanotextile. Thus, this study demonstrates that the unique nanofibrous architecture of woven textiles aids in developing a novel biodegradable material, which meets the clinical standards of a vascular patch.

Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Secreted Extracellular Matrix Coating on a Woven Nanotextile Vascular Patch for Improved Endothelial Cell Response

“…PCL yarns developed by electrospinning, after plying were used to fabricate a woven nanotextile. The yarns were interwoven into the textile by the traditional textile technology method using a table-top plain weaving loom (AVL, Little Weaver, USA) . Briefly, the yarns were used as warps and wefts in the weaving loom.…”

“…The yarns were interwoven into the textile by the traditional textile technology method using a table-top plain weaving loom (AVL, Little Weaver, USA). 10 Briefly, the yarns were used as warps and wefts in the weaving loom. Warp yarns were inserted into the heddles and further through the dents of a reed.…”

“…However, a major deterrent of electrospun matrices is their reduced mechanical strength, which constrains their applications. This aspect has been addressed by our group through the development of nanofibrous textiles having enhanced mechanical integrity through the weaving of nanofibrous yarns. − These woven nanotextiles in the form of vascular grafts have demonstrated endothelialization and patency when evaluated in a porcine model for 1 month . This response, which is derived from the nanofibrous architecture of the woven graft, can be further augmented by imparting a natural extracellular mimicking composition and microenvironment on its surface.…”

State-of-the-art review of advanced electrospun nanofiber yarn-based textiles for biomedical applications

“…Endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and fibroblasts are three main cell phenotypes in vascular tissues. Electrospun NYs have been demonstrated to improve the adhesion, elongation, proliferation [ 180 , 181 ], and angiogenic activity [182] of endothelial cells. The electrospun NYs could also support the differentiation of stem cells into smooth muscle cell-like phenotypes [135] .…”

Fabrication Procedure for a 3D Hollow Nanofibrous Bifurcated-Tubular Scaffold by Conformal Electrospinning

“…Synthetic vascular grafts can be fabricated using various techniques, such as molding, casting, electrospinning, and three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting. − Among these, electrospinning has been intensively studied for producing nanofibers and nanofibrous structures with unique properties, such as high porosity, large active surface area, and extracellular-mimetic structures. − Due to their unique properties, electrospun nanofibers and their assemblies have received substantial research interest for use in various applications, including clothing, environmental filters, and batteries. − These characteristics make electrospun nanofibrous vascular grafts a promising option for vascular reconstructions. ,− Given that conventional electrospinning methods produce a 2D flat nanofibrous mat on a collector, 3D tubular-shaped collectors have been introduced to create a 3D vascular-shaped nanofibrous scaffold. − However, the shape of the resulting 3D nanofibrous vascular scaffold is limited due to the complex geometries of the collector, which produce a nonuniform electric field, thereby causing nonuniform deposition of electrospun nanofibers. , To overcome these limitations, various approaches, including rolling, claying, gas-forming, hydrolysis, and hydrogel collectors, have been suggested to achieve a complex-shaped 3D nanofibrous architecture. ,− Although these approaches can increase the complexity of the 3D nanofibrous architecture, the resultant 3D nanofibrous architectures still have limitations, including poor mechanical properties and limited design flexibility. − …”