Fabrication and characterization of a hydrogel containing electrospun fibers

Electrospun and fibers hydrogels are two focal points of research within the biomaterials community. The electrospinning process allows for fabrication of nanoscale, aligned topography and has been shown to direct cellular migration and outgrowth. Hydrogels exhibit benefits over traditional, rigid scaffolds in that they are injectable and can be tailored to mimic the mechanical properties of the surrounding tissue. Although both electrospun fibers and hydrogels display favorable characteristics for biomedical applications in vitro, their in vivo benefits are limited due to inherent deficiencies Therefore, to advance the field of biomaterials research, a composite material containing electrospun fibers dispersed throughout a hydrogel matrix was created. Preliminary investigations into characterization of this material configuration by rheological assessment show that the addition of fibers alters the elastic modulus of material. Furthermore, incorporation of the fibers within the hydrogel is capable of directing neurite outgrowth. The benefits of such a configuration are widespread throughout the tissue engineering field and may provide new strategies to overcome current limitations.