Figure 7.

SEM images of zein fiber mats after 24 h incubation when seeded with kidney hamster fibroblast cells, magnification of ×2000. Composition of the core and the shell solutions are indicated on the vertical and horizontal panes, respectively. (a–c) Cells were mostly found entangled between the fibers in the drug-free samples. (d–f) Drug-loaded fibers. Cells were mostly present on the surface of the fiber mats containing plasticizers, which could be due to the formation of the larger pores along the fiber length that created a rough surface. Key: PEO, polyethylene oxide; SA, stearic acid; T, tetracycline hydrochloride; Z, zein. Nomenclature of the samples: composition of the core is shown in brackets, while the shell polymer is specified outside of the brackets.