Delivering Growth Factor through Electrospun Fibrous Scaffolds

A. Which scaffold can be used for delivering growth factor needed to be delivered in the first 7 days of incubation in an in-vivo experiment and why? (5pts)

A. Scaffold C can be used for delivering the growth factor in the first 7 days of the in-vivo experiment. This is because Scaffold C degrades the fastest among the three scaffolds, with a degradation rate of 50% in 21 days. The rapid degradation of Scaffold C would allow for quick release of the growth factor encapsulated within the scaffold, making it suitable for delivering the growth factor within the first 7 days of incubation.

B. Calculate the percentage weight remaining for Scaffold A and Scaffold C after degradation and comment on why one scaffold degraded faster than the other.

B. After degradation, the weight remaining for Scaffold A is 9.967 mg and for Scaffold C is 8.33 mg. The percentage weight remaining for Scaffold A can be calculated as follows: ((9.967/10) * 100) = 99.67%. The percentage weight remaining for Scaffold C can be calculated as follows: ((8.33/10) * 100) = 83.3%. Scaffold C degraded faster than Scaffold A because it had a higher degradation rate (50% compared to 1%). The higher degradation rate of Scaffold C resulted in more rapid breakdown of the scaffold material, leading to a greater loss in weight.

Explanation:

First, the scaffolds were made by combining PCL with gelatin to form three different types: A made only with PCL, B with a PCL:gelatin ratio of 3:1, and C with a PCL:gelatin ratio of 1:1. The degradation rates of the scaffolds were 1%, 25%, and 50% respectively.

For question A, Scaffold C is the most suitable for delivering the growth factor in the first 7 days of the in-vivo experiment due to its rapid degradation rate. In an in-vivo setting, a highly degradable scaffold is needed to facilitate the release of the growth factor within the desired time frame.

For question B, the weight remaining after degradation was calculated for Scaffold A and Scaffold C. Scaffold C degraded significantly faster than Scaffold A, as evidenced by the higher percentage weight remaining in Scaffold A. The degradation rate of a scaffold is crucial for determining its effectiveness in delivering the encapsulated growth factor.