Preparation and optimization of a gelatin-based biomimetic three-layered vascular scaffold

Electrospinning is promising approach for producing biomimetic vascular scaffolds. In particular, gelatin-based electrospun scaffolds offer excellent biocompatibility. However, gelatin-based vascular scaffolds are difficult to remove from the collector after electrospinning and cross-linking agents such as glutaraldehyde, which is commonly used to improve the strength of water-soluble electrospun gelatin, are highly toxic. Herein, we present a novel electrospinning method for preparing three-layered vascular scaffolds. First, Tween 80 was added to 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol as the polymer electrospinning solution and the gelatin electrospinning solution was mixed with polylactic acid and polycaprolactone, respectively. The three-layered vascular scaffold was fabricated by electrospinning an inner layer of gelatin, a middle layer of polyester, and another outer layer of gelatin. Finally, the electrospun scaffolds were cross-linked with microbial transglutaminase and vacuum dried. Biomechanical properties of the scaffold were determined by tensile testing. Furthermore, the structure and biocompatibility of the scaffolds were assessed by hydrophilicity tests, scanning electron microscopy, and cell seeding experiments. Our results suggest the proposed electrospinning method is suitable for preparing biomimetic vascular scaffolds for cardiovascular tissue engineering applications. Moreover, this paper provides a useful reference for the preparation and optimization of vascular scaffolds.