Preparation and Characterization of Nanopatterned Polycaprolactone/Cellulose Nanocrystal Composite Membranes for Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering

Cardiac tissue exhibits very low regenerative capacity. Polymeric tissue scaffolds designed for repair of damaged cardiac tissue need to have the right balance of mechanical and biological characteristics that are necessary to withstand inherent stresses generated by cyclic contraction of cardiomyocytes and to promote cell attachment and growth. Polycaprolactone (PCL), a biocompatible polymer with low biodegradability, is a promising material to develop scaffolds for tissue engineering (TE). However, its high stiffness limits its use as a matrix for cardiovascular TE. In this work, we evaluated the physical, mechanical and surface properties of PCL and cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) composite membranes, imprinted with a three-dimensional groove-ridge pattern, and their potential for cardiomyocyte adhesion and growth. This work demonstrates the impact of (a) incorporating CNCs within the PCL matrix and (b) patterning the membrane, on the surface roughness, wettability, and mechanical properties of composites, with an aim to alleviate the limitations of pure PCL scaffolds for cardiac TE applications.