Skeletal myotube formation enhanced through fibrillated collagen nanofibers coated on a 3D-printed polycaprolactone surface.

This work focused on considering the cellular responses of the growth and differentiation of myoblasts, C2C12, on fibrillated collagen-coated poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) surfaces. Through a fibrillation processing window using NaCl and collagen weight fractions, collagen fibril coating density can be controlled. Three different collagen-fibril densities coated on PCL strut were used to investigate the effects of the collagen fibril on the myoblast activities. After physical and cellular analyses of the scaffolds, such as surface morphology, fibronectin absorption, wettability, and mechanical properties, the rate of cell growth and the proficiency of the myoblasts to develop skeletal myotubes were evaluated. Based on the results, although the coated collagen nanofibers were randomly distributed, the fibrillated collagen layer with the appropriate density on the PCL surface promoted a greater myotube formation than that of the control, which had no fibrillated collagen. In particular, relatively higher densities of collagen fibril showed significantly greater myotube formation than those of the control (not-fibrillated collagen-coated on the PCL surface) and lower density of collagen fibril.