Regenerated nanofibrous cellulose electrospun from ionic liquid: Tuning properties toward tissue engineering

Regenerated fibrous cellulose possesses a unique set of properties, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, and high surface area potential, but its applications in the biomedical sector have not been sufficiently explored. In this study, nanofibrous cellulose matrices were fabricated via a wet-electrospinning process using a binary system of the solvent ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (BMIMAc) and co-solvent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The morphology of the matrices was controlled by varying the ratio of BMIMAc versus DMSO in the solvent system. The most effective ratio of 1:1 produced smooth fibers with diameters ranging from 200 to 400 nm. The nanofibrous cellulose matrix showed no cytotoxicity when tested on mouse fibroblast L929 cells whose viability remained above 95%. Human triple-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells also exhibited high viability even after 7 days of seeding and were able to penetrate deeper layers of the matrix, indicating high biocompatibility. These properties of nanofibrous cellulose demonstrate its potential for tissue engineering and cell culture applications.