Microfluidic 3D Printing Responsive Scaffolds with Biomimetic Enrichment Channels for Bone Regeneration

Tissue-engineered scaffolds have been extensively explored for treating bone defects; however, slow and insufficient vascularization throughout the scaffolds remains a key challenge for further application. Herein, a versatile microfluidic 3D printing strategy to fabricate black phosphorus (BP) incorporated fibrous scaffolds with photothermal responsive channels for improving vascularization and bone regeneration is proposed. The thermal channeled scaffolds display reversible shrinkage and swelling behavior controlled by near-infrared irradiation, which facilitates the penetration of suspended cells into the scaffold channels and promotes the prevascularization. Furthermore, the embedded BP nanosheets exhibit intrinsic properties for in situ biomineralization and improve in vitro cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. Following transplantation in vivo, these channels also promote host vessel infiltration deep into the scaffolds and effectively accelerate the healing process of bone defects. Thus, it is believed that these near-infrared responsive channeled scaffolds are promising candidates for tissue/vascular ingrowth in diverse tissue engineering applications.     

3D Printed Stem‐Cell Derived Neural Progenitors Generate Spinal Cord Scaffolds

A bioengineered spinal cord is fabricated via extrusion‐based multimaterial 3D bioprinting, in which clusters of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)‐derived spinal neuronal progenitor cells (sNPCs) and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are placed in precise positions within 3D printed biocompatible scaffolds during assembly. The location of a cluster of cells, of a single type or multiple types, is controlled using a point‐dispensing printing method with a 200 µm center‐to‐center spacing within 150 µm wide channels. The bioprinted sNPCs differentiate and extend axons throughout microscale scaffold channels, and the activity of these neuronal networks is confirmed by physiological spontaneous calcium flux studies. Successful bioprinting of OPCs in combination with sNPCs demonstrates a multicellular neural tissue engineering approach, where the ability to direct the patterning and combination of transplanted neuronal and glial cells can be beneficial in rebuilding functional axonal connections across areas of central nervous system (CNS) tissue damage. This platform can be used to prepare novel biomimetic, hydrogel‐based scaffolds modeling complex CNS tissue architecture in vitro and harnessed to develop new clinical approaches to treat neurological diseases, including spinal cord injury.     

3D Scaffolds to Study Basic Cell Biology

Mimicking the properties of the extracellular matrix is crucial for developing in vitro models of the physiological microenvironment of living cells. Among other techniques, 3D direct laser writing (DLW) has emerged as a promising technology for realizing tailored 3D scaffolds for cell biology studies. Here, results based on DLW addressing basic biological issues, e.g., cell‐force measurements and selective 3D cell spreading on functionalized structures are reviewed. Continuous future progress in DLW materials engineering and innovative approaches for scaffold fabrication will enable further applications of DLW in applied biomedical research and tissue engineering.     

静电纺再生丝素蛋白改性研究进展

在明确了丝素蛋白作为一种生物相容性较好但力学性能较差的基础上,回顾了近年来国内外学者针对静电纺丝素蛋白改性方法研究,总结出通过物理、化学方法及装置的改变可以对静电纺丝素蛋白进行改性,且改性效果相当明显。提出以共混其他聚合物及制备形状特殊的纳米纤维等物理方法是对再生丝素蛋白纳米纤维支架比较有效的改性方法。     

插盘式脚手架试验研究及受力分析

为研究插盘式脚手架的力学性能,进行了节点单向、双向拉伸及单向压缩试验,得到其破坏模式及荷载-位移曲线;现场对单跨两步脚手架体系进行堆载试验,得到各杆件应力.建立三维杆系有限元计算模型,模拟脚手架体系堆载试验,采用弹簧单元模拟插盘式节点,轴向线刚度取节点试验值,通过改变弹簧单元的切向刚度和转角刚度对整个结构进行参数分析,得到与试验结果较吻合的数值分析模型,并与节点铰接的模拟结果进行对比.分析表明:插盘式节点采用弹簧单元可以更好地模拟结构的受力状态,需要考虑弹簧的轴向刚度和切向刚度,但可以忽略转角刚度.     

掺氟聚磷酸钙生物陶瓷的合成与特性研究

在新型生物陶瓷聚磷酸钙中掺入氟离子,研究氟对聚磷酸钙陶瓷的晶体结构以及化学键的影响。本研究以氟化氨作为掺杂试剂,通过掺杂不同含量的氟,研究其物理性能的变化,如弯曲强度、气孔率等。研究表明,氟元素的引入可以改变聚磷酸钙的晶型和力学性能;掺入一定量氟的聚磷酸钙陶瓷具有在骨组织工程上作为骨修复材料在临床应用的可能性。     

Polymers for medical and tissue engineering applications

Recent decades have seen great advancements in medical research into materials, both natural and synthetic, that facilitate the repair and regeneration of compromised tissues through the delivery and support of cells and/or biomolecules. Biocompatible polymeric materials have become the most heavily investigated materials used for such purposes. Naturally‐occurring and synthetic polymers, including their various composites and blends, have been successful in a range of medical applications, proving to be particularly suitable for tissue engineering (TE) approaches. The increasing advances in polymeric biomaterial research combined with the developments in manufacturing techniques have expanded capabilities in tissue engineering and other medical applications of these materials. This review will present an overview of the major classes of polymeric biomaterials, highlight their key properties, advantages, limitations and discuss their applications. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

Supercritical carbon dioxide assisted fabrication of biomimetic sodium alginate/silk fibroin nanofibrous scaffolds

In this study, biomimetic sodium alginate (SA)/silk fibroin (SF) scaffolds were successfully fabricated by supercritical CO₂ technology. The SA/SF scaffolds exhibited an interconnected porous and extracellular matrix (ECM)-like nanofibrous structures. Moreover, the SA microparticles were embedded in the SF scaffolds. Increasing the content of SA microparticles could improve tensile strength and compressive strength of the SF scaffolds and reduce the porosity of the SF scaffolds. The addition of the SA microparticles could also regulate the degradation rate of the SA/SF scaffolds. Furthermore, the results of in vitro biocompatibility evaluation, indicated that the SA/SF scaffolds exhibited no obvious cytotoxicity and higher cell adhesion ability and were more favorable for L929 fibroblasts proliferation than pure SF scaffolds. Therefore, the SA/SF scaffolds with ECM-like nanofibrous and interconnected porous structure have potential application in skin tissue engineering.     

Glass powders and reactive silicone binder: Interactions and application to additive manufacturing of bioactive glass-ceramic scaffolds

A novel concept for the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional glass-ceramic scaffolds, to be used for tissue engineering applications, was based on fine glass powders mixed with a reactive binder, in the form of a commercial silicone. The powders consisted of ‘silica-defective glass’ specifically designed to react, upon firing in air, with the amorphous silica yielded by the binder. By silica incorporation, the glass was intended to reach the composition of an already known CaONa₂OB₂O₃SiO₂ system. Silica from the binder provided up to 15 wt% of the total silica. With the same overall formulation, silicone-glass powder mixtures led to nearly the same phase assemblage formed by the reference system, crystallizing into wollastonite (CaSiO₃) and Ca-borate (CaB₂O₄). Samples from silicone-glass powder mixtures exhibited an excellent shape retention after firing, which was later exploited in highly porous reticulated scaffolds, obtained by means of direct ink writing (DIW).