Evaluation of polycaprolactone − poly‐D,L‐lactide copolymer as biomaterial for breast tissue engineering |
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| Authors: | Patrina SP Poh Cordula Hege Mohit P Chhaya Elizabeth R Balmayor Peter Foehr Rainer H Burgkart Jan‐Thorsten Schantz Stefan M Schiller Arndt F Schilling Dietmar W Hutmacher |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Experimental Trauma Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universit?t München (TUM), Munich, Germany;2. Clinic of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universit?t München (TUM), Munich, Germany;3. Center for Biosystem Analysis (ZBSA), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany;4. Fraunhofer IOSB, Ettlingen, Germany;5. Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia;6. Institute for Advanced Study (IAS), Technische Universit?t München (TUM), Garching, Germany;7. Department of Orthopaedics and Sport Orthopaedics, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universit?t München (TUM), Munich, Germany;8. School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore;9. Clinic for Trauma Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery and Plastic Surgery, University Medical Center G?ttingen, G?ttingen, Germany |
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| Abstract: | The potential of the copolymer polycaprolactone‐co‐ poly‐d ,l ‐lactic acid (PCLLA ) as a biomaterial for scaffold‐based therapy for breast tissue engineering applications was assessed. First, the synthesized PCLLA was evaluated for its processability by means of additive manufacturing (AM ). We found that the synthesized PCLLA could be fabricated into scaffolds with an overall gross morphology and porosity similar to that of polycaprolactone. The PCLLA scaffolds possessed a compressive Young's modulus (ca 46 kPa ) similar to that of native breast (0.5 ? 25 kPa ), but lacked thermal stability and underwent thermal degradation during the fabrication process. The PCLLA scaffolds underwent rapid degradation in vitro which was characterized by loss of the scaffolds' mechanical integrity and a drastic decrease in mass‐average molar mass (M w) and number‐average molar mass (M n) after 4 weeks of immersion in phosphate buffer solution maintained at 37 °C. The tin‐catalysed PCLLA scaffold was also found to have cytotoxic effects on cells. Although the initial mechanical properties of the PCLLA scaffolds generally showed potential for applications in breast tissue regeneration, the thermal stability of the copolymer for AM processes, biocompatibility towards cells and degradation rate is not satisfactory at this stage. Therefore, we conclude that research efforts should be geared towards fine‐tuning the copolymer synthesizing methods. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry |
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| Keywords: | additive manufacturing degradation rate mechanical properties scaffolds breast tissue engineering |
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