Investigation of microstructure, mechanical properties and cellular viability of poly(L-lactic acid) tissue engineering scaffolds prepared by different thermally induced phase separation protocols

Identifying Heterogeneous Micromechanical Properties of Biological Tissues via Physics-Informed Neural Networks

The heterogeneous micromechanical properties of biological tissues have profound implications across diverse medical and engineering domains. However, identifying full-field heterogeneous elastic properties of soft materials using traditional engineering approaches is fundamentally challenging due to difficulties in estimating local stress fields. Recently, there has been a growing interest in data-driven models for learning full-field mechanical responses, such as displacement and strain, from experimental or synthetic data. However, research studies on inferring full-field elastic properties of materials, a more challenging problem, are scarce, particularly for large deformation, hyperelastic materials. Here, a physics-informed machine learning approach is proposed to identify the elasticity map in nonlinear, large deformation hyperelastic materials. This study reports the prediction accuracies and computational efficiency of physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) in inferring the heterogeneous elasticity maps across materials with structural complexity that closely resemble real tissue microstructure, such as brain, tricuspid valve, and breast cancer tissues. Further, the improved architecture is applied to three hyperelastic constitutive models: Neo-Hookean, Mooney Rivlin, and Gent. The improved network architecture consistently produces accurate estimations of heterogeneous elasticity maps, even when there is up to 10% noise present in the training data.

Green Processing of Neat Poly(lactic acid) Using Carbon Dioxide under Elevated Pressure for Preparation of Advanced Materials: A Review (2012-2022)

This review provides a concise overview of up-to-date developments in the processing of neat poly(lactic acid) (PLA), improvement in its properties, and preparation of advanced materials using a green medium (CO₂ under elevated pressure). Pressurized CO₂ in the dense and supercritical state is a superior alternative medium to organic solvents, as it is easily available, fully recyclable, has easily tunable properties, and can be completely removed from the final material without post-processing steps. This review summarizes the state of the art on PLA drying, impregnation, foaming, and particle generation by the employment of dense and supercritical CO₂ for the development of new materials. An analysis of the effect of processing methods on the final material properties was focused on neat PLA and PLA with an addition of natural bioactive components. It was demonstrated that CO₂-assisted processes enable the control of PLA properties, reduce operating times, and require less energy compared to conventional ones. The described environmentally friendly processing techniques and the versatility of PLA were employed for the preparation of foams, aerogels, scaffolds, microparticles, and nanoparticles, as well as bioactive materials. These PLA-based materials can find application in tissue engineering, drug delivery, active food packaging, compostable packaging, wastewater treatment, or thermal insulation, among others.

Main 3D Manufacturing Techniques for Customized Bone Substitutes. A Systematic Review

Clinicians should be aware of the main methods and materials to face the challenge of bone shortage by manufacturing customized grafts, in order to repair defects. This study aims to carry out a bibliographic review of the existing methods to manufacture customized bone scaffolds through 3D technology and to identify their current situation based on the published papers. A literature search was carried out using "3D scaffold", "bone regeneration", "robocasting" and "3D printing" as descriptors. This search strategy was performed on PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus and Cochrane Library, but also by hand search in relevant journals and throughout the selected papers. All the papers focusing on techniques for manufacturing customized bone scaffolds were reviewed. The 62 articles identified described 14 techniques (4 subtraction + 10 addition techniques). Scaffold fabrication techniques can be also be classified according to the time at which they are developed, into Conventional techniques and Solid Freeform Fabrication techniques. The conventional techniques are unable to control the architecture of the pore and the pore interconnection. However, current Solid Freeform Fabrication techniques allow individualizing and generating complex geometries of porosity. To conclude, currently SLA (Stereolithography), Robocasting and FDM (Fused deposition modeling) are promising options in customized bone regeneration.

Recent Progress on Biodegradable Tissue Engineering Scaffolds Prepared by Thermally-Induced Phase Separation (TIPS)

Porous biodegradable scaffolds provide a physical substrate for cells allowing them to attach, proliferate and guide the formation of new tissues. A variety of techniques have been developed to fabricate tissue engineering (TE) scaffolds, among them the most relevant is the thermally-induced phase separation (TIPS). This technique has been widely used in recent years to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) TE scaffolds. Low production cost, simple experimental procedure and easy processability together with the capability to produce highly porous scaffolds with controllable architecture justify the popularity of TIPS. This paper provides a general overview of the TIPS methodology applied for the preparation of 3D porous TE scaffolds. The recent advances in the fabrication of porous scaffolds through this technique, in terms of technology and material selection, have been reviewed. In addition, how properties can be effectively modified to serve as ideal substrates for specific target cells has been specifically addressed. Additionally, examples are offered with respect to changes of TIPS procedure parameters, the combination of TIPS with other techniques and innovations in polymer or filler selection.

Novel microgel-based scaffolds to study the effect of degradability on human dermal fibroblasts

For improved cell integration, tissue engineering scaffolds must be designed to degrade over time. Typically, the chemistry of scaffolds is modified to alter the degradation profile by using different hydrolytic or enzymatic sites within a material. It is more challenging, however, to fabricate self-assembling, injectable scaffolds that provide tunable degradation. Our laboratory has developed microgel-based scaffolds, where individual micron-sized hydrogels are crosslinked to make larger bulk scaffolds. The size of the individual microgels permits injection, and the microgels then self-assemble into a bulk structure and crosslink. We hypothesized that the microgel-based scaffolds can be used to tune degradability by mixing degradable and non-degradable microgels at various ratios within a self-assembling scaffold. Therefore, two types of microgels were fabricated, those composed of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and those composed of a PEG-lactic acid. Importantly, the microgels were similar in size and swelling and had a low polydispersity index due to their method of fabrication. Microgels were then mixed in four ratios to fabricate scaffolds and study how changes in scaffold composition altered the 3D proliferation and morphology of human dermal fibroblasts. Microgel-based scaffolds formed with 100% degradable microgels lost >60% of their mass over the 14 days of the study. Human dermal fibroblasts were mixed within the 3D scaffolds at the time of assembly and all scaffolds had cells with high viability and typical morphology. The scaffolds that had 25%-50% degradable microgels showed statistically increased proliferation of fibroblasts after 1 and 2 weeks over non-degradable scaffolds and those scaffolds with 75% or 100% degradable microgels. Overall, this work demonstrates the development and use of a tunable, self-assembled, microgel-based scaffold to investigate the effects of degradability on cellular response.

Modeling angiogenesis with micro- and nanotechnology

Angiogenesis plays an important role not only in the growth and regeneration of tissues in humans but also in pathological conditions such as inflammation, degenerative disease and the formation of tumors. Angiogenesis is also vital in thick engineered tissues and constructs, such as those for the heart and bone, as these can face difficulties in successful implantation if they are insufficiently vascularized or unable to connect to the host vasculature. Considerable research has been carried out on angiogenic processes using a variety of approaches. Pathological angiogenesis has been analyzed at the cellular level through investigation of cell migration and interactions, modeling tissue level interactions between engineered blood vessels and whole organs, and elucidating signaling pathways involved in different angiogenic stimuli. Approaches to regenerative angiogenesis in ischemic tissues or wound repair focus on the vascularization of tissues, which can be broadly classified into two categories: scaffolds to direct and facilitate tissue growth and targeted delivery of genes, cells, growth factors or drugs that promote the regeneration. With technological advancement, models have been designed and fabricated to recapitulate the innate microenvironment. Moreover, engineered constructs provide not only a scaffold for tissue ingrowth but a reservoir of agents that can be controllably released for therapeutic purposes. This review summarizes the current approaches for modeling pathological and regenerative angiogenesis in the context of micro-/nanotechnology and seeks to bridge these two seemingly distant aspects of angiogenesis. The ultimate aim is to provide insights and advances from various models in the realm of angiogenesis studies that can be applied to clinical situations.

An environmentally benign approach to achieving vectorial alignment and high microporosity in bacterial cellulose/chitosan scaffolds

Bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibers secreted by Komagataeibacter xylinus 10245 were applied alone or with chitosan to prepare highly aligned and porous scaffolds through a liquid nitrogen-initiated ice “templating” and freeze-drying process.

A Facile and Eco-friendly Route to Fabricate Poly(Lactic Acid) Scaffolds with Graded Pore Size

Over the recent years, functionally graded scaffolds (FGS) gaineda crucial role for manufacturing of devices for tissue engineering. The importance of this new field of biomaterials research is due to the necessity to develop implants capable of mimicking the complex functionality of the various tissues, including a continuous change from one structure or composition to another. In this latter context, one topic of main interest concerns the design of appropriate scaffolds for bone-cartilage interface tissue. In this study, three-layered scaffolds with graded pore size were achieved by melt mixing poly(lactic acid) (PLA), sodium chloride (NaCl) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). Pore size distributions were controlled by NaCl granulometry and PEG solvation. Scaffolds were characterized from a morphological and mechanical point of view. A correlation between the preparation method, the pore architecture and compressive mechanical behavior was found. The interface adhesion strength was quantitatively evaluated by using a custom-designed interfacial strength test. Furthermore, in order to imitate the human physiology, mechanical tests were also performed in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution at 37 °C. The method herein presented provides a high control of porosity, pore size distribution and mechanical performance, thus offering the possibility to fabricate three-layered scaffolds with tailored properties by following a simple and eco-friendly route.

Low-Temperature Additive Manufacturing of Biomimic Three-Dimensional Hydroxyapatite/Collagen Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration

Low-temperature additive manufacturing (AM) holds promise for fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds containing bioactive molecules and/or drugs. Due to the strict technical limitations of current approaches, few materials are suitable for printing at low temperature. Here, a low-temperature robocasting method was employed to print biomimic 3D scaffolds for bone regeneration using a routine collagen-hydroxyapatite (CHA) composite material, which is too viscous to be printed via normal 3D printing methods at low temperature. The CHA scaffolds had excellent 3D structure and maintained most raw material properties after printing. Compared to nonprinted scaffolds, printed scaffolds promoted bone marrow stromal cell proliferation and improved osteogenic outcome in vitro. In a rabbit femoral condyle defect model, the interconnecting pores within the printed scaffolds facilitated cell penetration and mineralization before the scaffolds degraded and enhanced repair, compared to nonprinted CHA scaffolds. Additionally, the optimal printing parameters for 3D CHA scaffolds were investigated; 600-μm-diameter rods were optimal in terms of moderate mechanical strength and better repair outcome in vivo. This low-temperature robocasting method could enable a variety of bioactive molecules to be incorporated into printed CHA materials and provides a method of bioprinting biomaterials without compromising their natural properties.

Microstructured Films Formed on Liquid Substrates via Initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition of Cross-Linked Polymers

We studied the formation of microstructured films at liquid surfaces via vapor phase polymerization of cross-linked polymers. The films were composed of micron-sized coral-like structures that originate at the liquid-vapor interface and extend vertically. The growth mechanism of the microstructures was determined to be simultaneous aggregation of the polymer on the liquid surface and wetting of the liquid on the growing aggregates. We demonstrated that we can increase the height of the microstructures and increase the surface roughness of the films by either decreasing the liquid viscosity or decreasing the polymer deposition rate. Our vapor phase method can be extended to synthesize functional, free-standing copolymer microstructured thin films for potential applications in tissue engineering, electrolyte membranes, and separations.

Bone tissue engineering scaffolding: computer-aided scaffolding techniques

Tissue engineering is essentially a technique for imitating nature. Natural tissues consist of three components: cells, signalling systems (e.g. growth factors) and extracellular matrix (ECM). The ECM forms a scaffold for its cells. Hence, the engineered tissue construct is an artificial scaffold populated with living cells and signalling molecules. A huge effort has been invested in bone tissue engineering, in which a highly porous scaffold plays a critical role in guiding bone and vascular tissue growth and regeneration in three dimensions. In the last two decades, numerous scaffolding techniques have been developed to fabricate highly interconnective, porous scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications. This review provides an update on the progress of foaming technology of biomaterials, with a special attention being focused on computer-aided manufacturing (Andrade et al. 2002) techniques. This article starts with a brief introduction of tissue engineering (Bone tissue engineering and scaffolds) and scaffolding materials (Biomaterials used in bone tissue engineering). After a brief reviews on conventional scaffolding techniques (Conventional scaffolding techniques), a number of CAM techniques are reviewed in great detail. For each technique, the structure and mechanical integrity of fabricated scaffolds are discussed in detail. Finally, the advantaged and disadvantage of these techniques are compared (Comparison of scaffolding techniques) and summarised (Summary).

Morphology, mechanical properties, and shape memory effects of poly(lactic acid)/ thermoplastic polyurethane blend scaffolds prepared by thermally induced phase separation

Novel blended scaffolds combining biobased polylactic acid (PLA) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) were fabricated by thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) using two different solvents. Pure PLA and TPU polymer scaffolds using 1,4-dioxane as the sole solvent exhibited typical ladder-like structures, while blended PLA/TPU scaffolds using the same solvent showed a more uniform microstructure. When de-ionized water was added to the solution as a non-solvent, scaffolds with the mixed solvent showed more open cells and greater interconnectivity. In compression tests, it was found that specimens, including pure PLA, TPU, and blended scaffolds with the mixed solvent, showed a higher compressive modulus than their counterparts that used dioxane as the single solvent. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was employed to characterize the shape memory properties of the scaffolds. DMA indicated that the shape fixing ratio was highest in the PLA scaffolds, while the shape recovery ratio of the TPU scaffolds was the greatest among the specimens. More interestingly, when the mixed solvent was used, the shape memory property of the blended scaffolds displayed a similar deformation curve to the TPU scaffold. This was due to the presence of the TPU phase and similarity in structure between PLA/TPU and TPU scaffolds when mixed solvent was used. In the degradation test, the blended scaffolds showed a balanced degradation behavior in-between the more easily degraded PLA and the more stable TPU in the phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), and the addition of water to the systems accelerated the degradation process of the specimens. Cell culture results showed that all of the scaffolds had good biocompatibility.

Synthetic small intestinal scaffolds for improved studies of intestinal differentiation

In vitro intestinal models can provide new insights into small intestinal function, including cellular growth and proliferation mechanisms, drug absorption capabilities, and host-microbial interactions. These models are typically formed with cells cultured on 2D scaffolds or transwell inserts, but it is widely understood that epithelial cells cultured in 3D environments exhibit different phenotypes that are more reflective of native tissue. Our focus was to develop a porous, synthetic 3D tissue scaffold with villous features that could support the culture of epithelial cell types to mimic the natural microenvironment of the small intestine. We demonstrated that our scaffold could support the co-culture of Caco-2 cells with a mucus-producing cell line, HT29-MTX, as well as small intestinal crypts from mice for extended periods. By recreating the surface topography with accurately sized intestinal villi, we enable cellular differentiation along the villous axis in a similar manner to native intestines. In addition, we show that the biochemical microenvironments of the intestine can be further simulated via a combination of apical and basolateral feeding of intestinal cell types cultured on the 3D models.