EN
Electrospun nanofibers are very promising material to be used in biomedicine. Electrospinning (electrical spinning) is a method of producing non-woven fibers of diameters down to 2 nm (and length of many cm) in contrast to a classical spinning - not thinner than 5µm. Main feature of the nanofibers is a very high surface to volume ratio of the material and lack of crystalline defects. The electrospinning process is usually conducted in solvents, even water can be applied, the process conditions are in favor to a very soft molecules and species. Such made fibers contain undamaged polymers or drugs, the proteins are not denaturated even living cells can survive the process. Mats made of the fibers are done of variety of polymers, including biodegradable polyesters and proteins. They can be used as scaffolds for the tissue engineering, wound dressings, barrier materials or Drug Delivery Systems (DDS). The main advantage for the use of mats for the tissue engineering is size similarity of the nanofibers and the fibers of Extracellular Collagen Matrix (ECM). For the use as DDS the fibers act as “nanodiffusion pump” releasing constant amount of drug in a controlled and tailored manner. Electrospun nanofibers made of biodegradable and biocompatible polymers(materials) are harmless and safe nanomaterials. They don’t cause inflammatory reaction when implanted. They can be used either to help guiding cells to produce properly formed tissues or inhibit cells growth to prevent liaisons. Depending of the type of material used, processing, surface modification, even the way of sterilization material of desired properties may be produced. The fibers already tested in our laboratories were successfully used as a scaffolds for cells growth (human: UCSC, MSC, hepatocytes). Other applications included: coatings for Bioglass bone implants, nanofibrous sensors made of BSA surface modified by FITC and conductive nanofibers. Research on anti -liasions, wound dressing, barrier materials and tubular scaffolds of enhanced vascularization are being conducted. Supported by the project of Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education nr NR13-0081-10.