RESUMEN
In recent years, the enormous demand for swabs for clinical use has promoted their relevance and, consequently, brought the environmental issues due to their single use and lack of biodegradability to the attention of the healthcare industry. Swabs consist of a stick that facilitates their easy handling and manoeuvrability even in complex districts and an absorbent tip designed to uptake and release biological samples. In this study, we focused on the fabrication of an innovative biodegradable poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofiber swab tip using the electrospinning technique. The innovative swab tip obtained showed comparable uptake and release capacity of protein and bacterial species (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus) with those of the commercial foam-type swab. In this way, the obtained swab can be attractive and suitable to fit into this panorama due to its low-cost process, easy scalability, and good uptake and release capabilities.
RESUMEN
The advancement achieved in Tissue Engineering is based on a careful and in-depth study of cell-tissue interactions. The choice of a specific biomaterial in Tissue Engineering is fundamental, as it represents an interface for adherent cells in the creation of a microenvironment suitable for cell growth and differentiation. The knowledge of the biochemical and biophysical properties of the extracellular matrix is a useful tool for the optimization of polymeric scaffolds. This review aims to analyse the chemical, physical, and biological parameters on which are possible to act in Tissue Engineering for the optimization of polymeric scaffolds and the most recent progress presented in this field, including the novelty in the modification of the scaffolds' bulk and surface from a chemical and physical point of view to improve cell-biomaterial interaction. Moreover, we underline how understanding the impact of scaffolds on cell fate is of paramount importance for the successful advancement of Tissue Engineering. Finally, we conclude by reporting the future perspectives in this field in continuous development.