Development of a tissue-engineered oral mucosal barrier model using poly (l-lactic acid) electrospun nanofibers

The oral mucosa is a crucial barrier that defends against external factors and regulates tissue permeability. To advance trans-epithelial drug delivery and dental biomaterials research, a robust in vitro model of oral mucosal tissue is needed. This study develops an oral epithelial model using electrospun poly (L-lactic acid) (PLA) meshes. Two PLA formulations (10% and 12% in CHCl₃/ DMF) were optimized for nanoscale fibers production and subsequently functionalized via O₂ plasma treatment and fibronectin coating to enhance cell adhesion by increasing surface hydrophilicity, as measured by contact angle analysis. Oral epithelial cells (TR146) were cultured on these scaffolds. Adhesion and proliferation were evaluated using confocal microscopy and both MTS and PrestoBlue viability assays. The 12% PLA formulation produced fibers with an average diameter of 717 nm and pore sizes of approximately 366 nm, significantly improving cell adhesion and proliferation. Functionalization further enhanced cell attachment and spreading through increased hydrophilicity and targeted protein interactions. Confocal imaging revealed uniform cell distribution and multilayered growth that mimics native oral epithelium architecture. These findings demonstrate that fibronectin-coated 12% PLA electrospun meshes are promising scaffolds for oral epithelial tissue engineering and trans-epithelial delivery applications.