Fabrication and Characterization of Chitosan/ Polycaprolactone Core-Shell Nanofiber Scaffold Containing Platelet-Rich Fibrin by Coaxial Electrospinning Method for Biomedical Applications

Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is a natural fibrin matrix containing platelets and growth factors in the blood that increases the bone tissue repair. In this study, polycaprolactone/chitosan (scaffold A) and polycaprolactone/chitosan core-shell scaffold containing PRF (scaffold B) were fabricated by uniaxial electrospinning and coaxial electrospinning methods, respectively and were characterized. Surface morphology, fiber diameter, porosity, mechanical properties, and functional groups on the scaffolds surface were evaluated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transition electron microscopy (TEM), displacement liquid method, tensile strength test, and fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, respectively. The average fibers diameter of the scaffold B decreased to 160 nm as compared to 179 nm for the scaffold A. Also, the presence of chitosan containing PRF in the core with the formation of hydrogen bonding with polycaprolactone in the shell of the scaffold B caused a scaffold with excellent mechanical properties and elastic modulus 40 MPa. Cell viability and adherence of bone cells on the surface scaffolds were evaluated via MTT assay. Due to the present of PRF in the scaffold B, the bone cells growth and cells adhesion on the surface of scaffold B increased compared to the scaffold A. Therefore, according to the results of this study, the core-shell scaffold containing PRF can be a good suggestion for use in biomedical applications.