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A Simple Modification Method to Obtain Anisotropic and Porous 3D Microfibrillar Scaffolds for Surgical and Biomedical Applications


Hosseini, Vahid; Evrova, Olivera; Hoerstrup, Simon P; Vogel, Viola (2018). A Simple Modification Method to Obtain Anisotropic and Porous 3D Microfibrillar Scaffolds for Surgical and Biomedical Applications. Small, 14(4):1-9.

Abstract

In native tissues, cellular organization is predominantly anisotropic. Yet, it remains a challenge to engineer anisotropic scaffolds that promote anisotropic cellular organization at macroscopic length scales. To overcome this challenge, an innovative, cheap and easy method to align clinically approved non-woven surgical microfibrillar scaffolds is presented. The method involves a three-step process of coating, unidirectional stretching of scaffolds after heating them above glass transition temperature, and cooling back to room temperature. Briefly, a polymer coating is applied to a non-woven mesh that results in a partial welding of randomly oriented microfibers at their intersection points. The coated scaffold is then heated above the glass transition temperature of the coating and the scaffold polymer. Subsequently, the coated scaffold is stretched to produce aligned and three dimentional (3D) porous fibrillar scaffolds. In a proof of concept study, a polyglycolic acid (PGA) micro-fibrillar scaffold was coated with poly(4-hydroxybutirate) (P4HB) acid and subsequently aligned. Fibroblasts were cultured in vitro within the scaffold and results showed an increase in cellular alignment along the direction of the PGA fibers. This method can be scaled up easily for industrial production of polymeric meshes or directly applied to small pieces of scaffolds at the point of care.

Abstract

In native tissues, cellular organization is predominantly anisotropic. Yet, it remains a challenge to engineer anisotropic scaffolds that promote anisotropic cellular organization at macroscopic length scales. To overcome this challenge, an innovative, cheap and easy method to align clinically approved non-woven surgical microfibrillar scaffolds is presented. The method involves a three-step process of coating, unidirectional stretching of scaffolds after heating them above glass transition temperature, and cooling back to room temperature. Briefly, a polymer coating is applied to a non-woven mesh that results in a partial welding of randomly oriented microfibers at their intersection points. The coated scaffold is then heated above the glass transition temperature of the coating and the scaffold polymer. Subsequently, the coated scaffold is stretched to produce aligned and three dimentional (3D) porous fibrillar scaffolds. In a proof of concept study, a polyglycolic acid (PGA) micro-fibrillar scaffold was coated with poly(4-hydroxybutirate) (P4HB) acid and subsequently aligned. Fibroblasts were cultured in vitro within the scaffold and results showed an increase in cellular alignment along the direction of the PGA fibers. This method can be scaled up easily for industrial production of polymeric meshes or directly applied to small pieces of scaffolds at the point of care.

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Additional indexing

Item Type:Journal Article, refereed, original work
Communities & Collections:04 Faculty of Medicine > University Hospital Zurich > Clinic for Reconstructive Surgery
04 Faculty of Medicine > Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IREM)
Dewey Decimal Classification:610 Medicine & health
Scopus Subject Areas:Life Sciences > Biotechnology
Physical Sciences > Biomaterials
Physical Sciences > General Chemistry
Physical Sciences > General Materials Science
Uncontrolled Keywords:Biotechnology, Engineering (miscellaneous), Biomaterials
Language:English
Date:January 2018
Deposited On:09 Mar 2018 15:12
Last Modified:25 Nov 2023 08:11
Publisher:Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
ISSN:1613-6810
OA Status:Closed
Publisher DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.201702650
PubMed ID:29205905
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