What is electrospinning?

Electrospinning is primarily defined as the ejection of a charged polymer fluid onto an oppositely charged surface. In this process, a high-voltage electric field is applied to a polymer solution or melt, which causes the formation of a charged jet of the fluid. As the jet is drawn toward an oppositely charged collector, it stretches and thins, leading to the formation of fibers that are often in the nanometer range.

This technique is significant in tissue engineering because it allows for the creation of scaffolds that can mimic the extracellular matrix, providing a suitable environment for cell attachment and growth. The fibers produced through electrospinning have high surface area-to-volume ratios and can be engineered to have various properties by altering the polymer materials and processing parameters, making them ideal for applications in regenerative medicine.

The mention of application of electric fields is related, but it does not fully capture the essence of electrospinning, as it is specifically the interaction and ejection of the polymer fluid that defines the process. Spinning of stem cells and coating with artificial materials do not represent electrospinning as they focus on entirely different concepts within tissue engineering and material science.