Polycaprolactone/gelatin/polypyrrole/graphene conductive aligned fibrous scaffold with ferulic acid encapsulation for tissue engineering applications

Tissue engineering approaches aim to overcome the limitations of organ transplants and facilitate tissue repair and regeneration, with demand now at a worldwide high for advanced therapies due to our global aging population. Neural tissue engineering is challenging with tissue dynamics and cellular complexity constraints necessary for tissue function. Here, a conductive, highly aligned, fibrous polycaprolactone/gelatin/polypyrrole/graphene scaffold is demonstrated for potential nerve tissue repair. A simple and efficient electrospinning technique with a rotating drum fabrication approach is utilized to create aligned fibrous structures with a diameter of 380 ± 37 nm (no graphene) to 265 ± 30 nm (up to 3 wt% graphene). The conductivity of the scaffold in wet conditions was found range from 0.76 ± 0.1 S m−1 with no graphene, to 3.96 ± 0.2 S m−1 with 3% wt graphene, with corresponding ultimate tensile strengths measuring 2.6 ± 0.1–5.5 ± 0.4 MPa, respectively. Samples were found to biodegrade during incubation in saline solution over 42 days by ~ 48.5%. Fibroblasts were used as a cell model to test for scaffold toxicity, with all samples presenting good cell adhesion and limited cytotoxicity. Overall, the results demonstrated an aligned fibrous platform with good mechanical and electrically conductive properties useful for tissue engineering applications, particularly for nerve tissue. Development of novel materials with a range of properties enabling optimization of cell adhesion through to tissue development will further support the development of regenerative medicine approaches. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].