# Poly(lactic acid)-Based Electrospun Fibrous Structures for Biomedical Applications
## 8 Biomedical Applications of PLA-Based Nanofibrous Structures
### Wound Healing
[87] used the electrospinning technique to produce bioactive PLLA/polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanofibers as a delivery vehicle of plasmid DNA encoding angiopoieti-1 (pAng) (Figure 11j-l). The nanofibrous scaffold could sustainably release pAng, considerably increase the gene transfection efficiency, and effectively promote wound healing. In a series of studies, the potential of core-shell electrospun fibers has been investigated in wound healing applications. The coaxial electrospinning method has been used by [PERSON] et al. [6] to produce core-shell nanofibers based on PLA, and PGA for wound healing application. Different core-shell structures with compact core structures and with porous core structures have been obtained (Figure 12a,b). The in vitro cell culture study and in vivo assay on PLA/-PGA core-shell nanofiber substrate represented desirable biocompatibility to the wound. In another study, poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) (core)/PLLA (shell) fibrous scaffolds were developed via coaxial electrospinning as a novel wound dressing. The shell  
Figure 11: SEM images of the PLA e(PLA-D) fibrous mats (**a**) pure, (**b**) with 14% of BET and (**c**) DEX, reproduced with permission from [2] (License number: 5232480112869), SEM images of neat (**d**) and curcumin-loaded PLLA fiber mats (**e**) reproduced with permission from [74] (License number: 5232490308135). (**f**) SEM micrographs of electrospun PLA/CUR/PEG nanofibers containing 10 wt% of PEG with a molecular weight of 400, reproduced with permission from [70] (License number: 5232490801255), Morphology of (**g**) the pure PLA nanofibers and (**h**) PLA nanofibers with 5% DCH contents, reproduced with permission from [78] (License number: 5232491264115). (**i**) SEM images of Ag2[HBTC][im]-PLA composite fibrous mat Reproduced with permission from [79] (License number: 5232491480582). SEM images of the electrospun fibers of (**j**) neat PLLA, (**k**) PLLA/POSS and (**l**) PLLA/POSS/pAng, reproduced with permission from [87] (License number: 527294037894). fibers with surface pores showed excellent ability to repair tissues of the skin wound. The core-shell structure, compared to pure PLLA scaffold, showed superior cell proliferation, with a lower inflammatory response [1]. The coaxial electrospinningning method was also applied by [PERSON] et al. [90] to fabricate the core-shell PLLA/chitosan nanofibrous scaffolds for wound dressing applications. In order to present a synergistic microenvironment for wound healing, graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets have been coated on the surface of nanofibers which significantly increased the hydrophilicity of the electrospun scaffold and improved its antibacterial activity; they also promoted the growth of pig iliac endothelial cells (PIECs). In vivo results demonstrated the potential of GO-coated chitosan/PLLA nanofibrous scaffolds in wound healing applications. In a research work performed by [PERSON] et al. [91], a connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) was encapsulated inside the PVA fibers as core which was covered by a thin layer of PLA fibers as the shell (Figure 12c). The core-shell structure of the scaffold enhanced sustained release of CTGF which is crucial for diabetic wound healing procedures.