A comparison between electrospinning and rotary-jet spinning to produce PCL fibers with low bacteria colonization

One of the important components in tissue engineering is material structure, providing a model for fixing and the development of cells and tissues, which allows for the transport of nutrients and regulatory molecules to and from cells. The community claims the need for new materials with better properties for use in the clinic. Poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a biodegradable polymer, semi crystalline, with superior mechanical properties and has attracted an increasing interest due to its usefulness in various biomedical applications. Herein, two different methods (electrospinning versus rotary jet spinning) with different concentrations of PCL produced ultra thin-fibers each with particular characteristics, verified and analyzed by morphology, wettability, thermal and cytotoxicity features and for bacteria colonization. Different PCL scaffold morphologies were found to be dependent on the fabrication method used. All PCL scaffolds showed greater mammalian cell interactions. Most impressively, rotary-jet spun fibers showed that a special rough surface decreased bacteria colonization, emphasizing that no nanoparticle or antibiotic was used; maybe this effect is related with physical (scaffold) and/or biological mechanisms. Thus, this study showed that rotary jet spun fibers possess a special topography compared to electrospun fibers to reduce bacteria colonization and present no cytotoxicity when in contact with mammalian cells.