Biomolecule-based hydrogels containing electrospun fiber mats with enhanced mechanical properties and biological activity

Photopolymerizable hydrogels based on methacryloyl gelatin (GeIMA) have potential for biomedical applications, due to their high processability, biological activity, and possibility of cell encapsulation. However, biomolecule-based hydrogels have often poor mechanical properties that limit their application. In this work, we prepared hydrogels with enhanced mechanical properties and biological activity by incorporating mats of electrospun polycaprolactone fibers containing GeIMA in GelMA hydrogels. These GelMA hydrogels with electrospun fiber mats were prepared by photopolymerizing either a blend of chopped fiber mats and GelMA or stacking electrospun fiber mats impregnated with GelMA. Cell encapsulation, viability and proliferation were also investigated. Scanning electron microscopy images showed pore walls of lyophilized hydrogels decorated with chopped fiber mats. Mechanical properties of hydrogels containing stacks of electrospun fiber mats were much higher than pure hydrogels. Encapsulated cells within hydrogels were observed to grow faster than in hydrogels with no fiber mats, as an indication that the extracellular matrix-like texture of the fiber mats within the hydrogels can enhance the biological activity of the materials. The overall results revealed that the tested approaches to prepare hydrogels with electrospun fiber mats can expand the usage of biomolecule-based hydrogels in biomedical applications.