Novel three-dimensional, conducting, biocompatible, porous, and elastic polyaniline-based scaffolds for regenerative therapies

Abstract

The aim of this study is the fabrication of two novel three-dimensional, conducting, biocompatible, porous, and elastic scaffolds composed of hyperbranched aliphatic polyesters (HAPs), polyaniline (PANI), and poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) for tissue engineering applications. First, HAPs (G3 and G6) were synthesized via a melt polycondensation reaction from tris(methylol)propan, and 2,2-bis(methylol)propionic acid. The synthesized HAPs were further reacted with p-anthranilic acid to afford phenylamine-functionalized aliphatic hyperbranched polyester macromonomers (PhAG3M and PhAG6M). The synthesized macromonomers were subsequently employed in both chemical and electrochemical oxidation copolymerizations with aniline monomer to produce two star-shaped PANIs (S-PANIs) with HAPs cores. The solutions of the chemically synthesized S-PANIs were electrospun with PCL solution to produce uniform conductive nanofibers. The biocompatibility of the electrospun nanofibers were evaluated by assessing the adhesion and proliferation of the mouse fibroblast L929 cell line, and in vitro degradabilities. From the results obtained for the conductivities, biocompatibilities, hydrophilicites, and mechanical properties of the fabricated scaffolds it is suggested that the nanofibers are potentially suitable for use in tissue engineering.