Novel thin films deposited on electrospun PCL scaffolds by atmospheric pressure plasma jet for L929 fibroblast cell cultivation

This paper reports on the deposition of PCL homopolymers and poly epsilon-caprolactone-polyethylene glycol (PCL-PEG) copolymers by atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) onto electrospun PCL scaffolds for improving L929 fibroblast cell growth. Polymer deposited scaffolds showed better stability as well as lower CA as compared to those treated with APPJ in Ar alone used as the carrier gas to introduce the precursors due to the formation of polar groups generated during the plasma treatment, such as -OH and/or -COO. Average fiber and porosity sizes were calculated by using SEM photographs and the ImageJ Launcher Software program and higher values were observed for both PCL and PCL-PEG deposited scaffolds than the untreated electrospun PCL scaffolds. XPS analysis showed that C1s% content decreased for PCL deposited (from 82.4% to 71.0%) and PCL-PEG deposited (from 82.4% to 57.7%) and O1s% composition increased for PCL deposited (from 17.6% to 29.0%) and PCL-PEG deposited (from 17.6% to 42.3%) compared to the untreated one. XPS results proved more incorporation of oxygen moieties on the deposited surfaces than the untreated samples giving rise to more hydrophilic surfaces to the deposited ones. Standard in vitro MTT test, Giemsa staining, fluorescence and CLSM imaging techniques were used for the determination of cell viability, adhesion and proliferation. Cell culture experiments showed that PCL-PEG deposited electrospun PCL scaffolds had the most promising cell adhesion, proliferation and growth among the treated scaffolds. The increased average fiber diameter caused by deposition as well as oxygen containing polar groups formed on the surfaces due to the radicals present in the plasma atmosphere provided higher surface area and functionality, respectively, for cells to attach, yielding better biocompatibility performance.