Grooved Fibers: Preparation Principles Through Electrospinning and Potential Applications

Abstract

The surface morphology of micro-and nano-scale fiber determines its application to a great extent. At present, a variety of secondary morphology of microfibers and nanofibers, such as porous, wrinkle, groove and so on, have been prepared. Among them, grooved micro-and nano-fibers are attracting more and more attention because of their unique morphology and properties. In this paper, we review the literature on grooved fibers due to void-based elongation, wrinkle-based elongation, collapsed jet-based elongation and selective dissolution. By contrast, the method of phase separation is simpler and more commonly used than selective dissolution. What is more interesting is that the number and depth of grooves on the fiber surface can be well controlled by adjusting the experimental parameters, which greatly increases the research value and application fields of grooves micro-nano fibers. Grooved fibers can be made from a range of materials: polycaprolactone (PCL), polylactic acid (PLA), polystyrene (PS), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) and other polymers. The applications of grooved micro-nano fibers are discussed in detail, including peripheral nerve regeneration, water manipulation and energy conversion.

Neural tissue engineering: From bioactive scaffolds and in situ monitoring to regeneration

“…[ 24 ] In combination with deferoxamine, an angiogenic reagent, electrospun aligned fibers could promote angiogenesis while regulating the phenotype of macrophages. [ 25 ] A suitable regenerative immune microenvironment was thus constructed because of the reduction of inflammatory factors and the formation of blood vessels, accelerating the nerve repair in a 10‐mm rat sciatic nerve injury model. The directional structures also have a significant effect on SCs migration and axon extension, which can also be combined with other nano‐ or micro‐cues.…”

Hybrid Films Prepared from a Combination of Electrospinning and Casting for Offering a Dual-Phase Drug Release

“…Fortunately, one of the most important trends in the development of electrospinning is to combine itself with traditional materials production and transformation methods to take advantages of the unique properties of nanofibers [ 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 ]. Thus, in this research, a facile single-fluid blending electrospinning process was combined with the casting film method to fabricate a medicated double-layer hybrid for providing a dual-phase drug controlled release profile.…”

Implantation of a nerve protector embedded with human GMSC-derived Schwann-like cells accelerates regeneration of crush-injured rat sciatic nerves

“…In recent years, various novel technologies or approaches have been incorporated to fabricate the new generation of NGCs composed of various types of biomimetic and functional scaffolds with modifications in their basic topological, biochemical, and physical properties, which not only provides physical neural support but can also rebalance the disturbed neuronal microenvironment through modulating the four key neural regeneration factors, including immune responses, intraneural vascularization, bioenergetic metabolism, and bioelectrical conduction [ 62 , 63 ]. Such novel approaches include the design of different types of nanomaterials [ 64 ], scaffold surface modification [ 65 ], the development of grooved micro- and nanofibers [ 66 ] and boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS)-functionalized polycaprolactone (PCL) channel scaffold [ 67 ], and so on. For example, Qian Y et al recently reported that the smart BNNS@PCL porous channel scaffold with high elasticity, hydrophilicity, and biocompatibility could stimulate cellular secretion of neurotrophic factors by increasing bioelectrical signal transduction under ultrasonic actuation in vitro [ 67 ].…”