The promising trends in biotechnology and tissue
engineering are based on the development of advanced
materials with biomimetic features in order to recreate the
native environment promoting the appropriate cell
behavior for tissue regeneration.
Cell therapy together with novel functionalized
biomaterials represent a very promising approach in
regenerative medicine for cartilage regeneration.
Articular cartilage exhibits a well-ordered organization
with an extracellular matrix arranged as a network of
collagen fibers and proteoglycans that allow for cell
adhesion, mechanical support, transduction of chemical
and mechanical signals from the surrounding tissue to the
cells. Electrospun materials are considered highly
promising scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering given
their specific fibrous morphology that resembles the
fibrous component of tissue extracellular matrix. Many
synthetic and natural polymers have been successfully
electrospun to obtain scaffolds. Among natural polymers,
collagen is universally applied as biomaterial in
regenerative medicine because of its unique
biocompatibility, and structural property.
Robust techniques for surface \u201cbiodecoration\u201d are
currently required and the appropriate surface
functionalization still remains a critical variable for the
optimal performance of a wide range of biomaterials.
Covalent bonding of bioactive molecules to material
surface is a valid strategy in order to allow a sufficiently
strong and specific affinity of biomolecules with the
surface itself; in addition covalent bonding may permit
site-directed immobilization and preservation of specific
conformation and exposition to control biological
responses.
Plasma processes allow to tune surface properties of
materials with negligible effect on their bulk. The need
of improving cell/surface interaction has decisively
introduced plasma techniques in the field of biomaterials;
In addition, a wide range of compounds can be chosen as
a monomer for plasma polymerization, providing a great
diversity of possible surface modifications with different
functional groups, including amine, anhydride, epoxide,
carboxylic acid, cyano, halide, hydroxyl, furfuryl, and
perfluoroalkyl