Aligned 3D porous polyurethane scaffolds for biological anisotropic tissue regeneration

Regenerative Biomaterials, 2020 · DOI: 10.1093/rb/rbz031 · Published: September 30, 2019

Simple Explanation

This study introduces a method for creating aligned three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds from biodegradable waterborne polyurethane (PU) emulsion using a directional freeze-drying technique. This process avoids the use of harmful organic solvents. The researchers optimized the concentration of polymer in the emulsion and the freezing temperatures to produce a scaffold (PU14) with oriented pores and balanced mechanical properties suitable for tissue regeneration. Experiments with cells and muscle tissue showed that the aligned 3D scaffold encourages cells to grow in an oriented manner and supports anisotropic tissue regeneration, indicating its potential for use in repairing tissues like muscle, nerve, and spinal cord.

Study Duration

1-2 weeks

Participants

SPF adult Sprague Dawley (SD) female rats

Evidence Level

Level 5: Animal study

Key Findings

1
Aligned 3D porous PU scaffolds were successfully prepared using a green process, demonstrating a more suitable structure for anisotropic tissue repair compared to random porous scaffolds.
2
The aligned scaffolds, even without modification, accelerated directional cell migration and anisotropic tissue repair both in vitro and in vivo.
3
Muscle repair results indicate promising potential for the application of these pure material-based scaffolds with aligned structures in other ordered tissues like nerve and spinal cord.

Research Summary

The study focuses on fabricating aligned 3D porous scaffolds from biodegradable waterborne polyurethane (PU) emulsion via directional freeze-drying, ensuring a green process without organic byproducts. An aligned PU scaffold (PU14) was selected for its oriented porous structure and balanced mechanical properties, demonstrating its ability to facilitate oriented cell development and anisotropic tissue regeneration in vitro and in vivo. The aligned 3D porous PU14 scaffold significantly accelerated ordered tissue regeneration, suggesting its potential for use in repairing anisotropic tissues like nerve and spinal cord.

Practical Implications

Anisotropic Tissue Regeneration

The aligned 3D porous PU scaffolds provide a promising solution for repairing damaged anisotropic biological tissues, such as muscle, nerve, and spinal cord, by guiding ordered tissue repair.

Green Fabrication Process

The solvent-free directional freeze-drying method offers an eco-friendly approach for producing tissue engineering scaffolds, minimizing environmental impact and potential toxicity.

Customizable Scaffold Design

By tuning emulsion concentration and freezing temperature, scaffolds with different architectures and mechanical properties can be obtained, allowing for tailored solutions for various tissue engineering applications.

Study Limitations

1
Ideal pore size may vary with different cells and materials.
2
Most of the attempts were performed in vitro.
3
The performance of the 3D aligned structure constructed by the directional freezing method is rarely checked in vivo.

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