Study on the fabrication of scratched nanogrooves for highly oriented cell alignment and application as a wound healing dressing

Abstract

Using improper wound care materials may cause impaired wound healing, which can lead to scar formation and infection. In this thesis, we propose a facile method to fabricate a cell-alignment scaffold, which can effectively enhance cell growth and migration, leading to the reproduction of cellular arrangements and restoration of tissues. The fundamental is scratching a substrate with a diamond lapping film that gives uniaxial nanotopography. Cells are seeded to follow the geometric cue via contact guidance, resulting in highly oriented cell alignment. Outstanding biocompatibility is also demonstrated by the high cell viability on various substrates. In vivo studies in a wound healing model in mice demonstrate that the scratched film induces directed cell guidance on the nanostructure, with remarkably reduced wound areas and inhibition of excessive collagen deposition. Rapid recovery of the epidermis and dermis is also witnessed by histological analyses, suggesting the potential application of the scratching technique as an advanced wound dressing material for effective tissue regeneration.