MECHANICAL AND STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES OF COLLAGEN NANOFRIBROUS LAYERS UNDER SIMULATED BODY CONDITIONS

Abstract

The theme of this paper is the analysis of mechanical and structural properties of nanofibrous COL under simulated body conditions and in the presence of osteoblasts and dermal fibroblasts. COL were prepared by electrostatic spinning of 8wt% collagen type I dispersion with 8wt% (to COL) of PEG in phosphate buffer/ethanol solution (1/1vol). The stability of COL was enhanced by means of cross-linking with EDC and NHS at a molar ratio of 4:1. COL were exposed in culture medium for 21 days and human SAOS-2 human dermal fibroblasts and osteoblasts were cultured therein for 21 days as well. The cell culture on COL was assessed by fluorescence microscopy and metabolic activity. Then the metabolic activity of both cell types grown on COL and PS were measured after 1, 7, 14 and 21 days using the Alamar Blue assay method. Mechanical properties were determined using an tensile test. The influence of the cell activity on secondary structure of COL was verified by IR spectroscopy. Furthermore, the influence of cells on COL was evaluated by SEM.