Effects of fiber orientation and diameter on the behavior of human dermal fibroblasts on electrospun PMMA scaffolds

We used the electrospinning technique to produce fibrous scaffolds of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Using a rotating drum, we aligned the fibers and formed multilayered structures where both the fiber spacing and pore size could be varied. We then plated adult human dermal fibroblasts and studied the effect of fiber diameter and orientation on the cell conformation, integrin receptor expression, proliferation, and migration. We found that a critical diameter minimum diameter existed, D₀ = 0.97 lm for cell orientation to occur. For D < D₀, no big difference in aspect ratio was observed relative to the control samples on PMMA thin film. Hence, we could fabricate substrate patterned with fibers of different different diameters where different cell conformations coexisted on the same scaffold. On the other hand, staining for vinculin proteins in the cells indicated that on large diameter fibers and on flat surfaces, the integrin receptors followed the cell perimeter. On the very small diameter surfaces, the receptors were distributed uniformly along the cell. Cell dynamics studies indicated that the proliferation and migration were also affected by the fiber orientation.