PLGA-脱细胞猪皮的性质研究

目的:猪皮来源的细胞外基质(ECM)被广泛应用于组织工程材料的研制中,由于使用目的的不同,常需要和其它组织工程原料进行复合使用.本研究将PLGA和脱细胞猪皮进行复合,在体外考察此复合体系的力学性质和三维结构,探讨其作为组织工程支架的可行性.方法:(1)采用高压渗透法将PLGA和脱细胞猪皮制备成供检试件.(2)以扫描电镜观察其内部的三维结构.(3)用拉伸实验机测试其拉伸力学特性.结果:(1)力学测试显示,其断裂强度为1.32MPa,断裂伸长率约为132%,弹性模量为1.6×106Pa.(2)扫描电镜显示PLGA渗入到脱细胞猪皮的空隙中而相互融合,形成了蜂窝状结构.结论:本研究所构建的PLGA-脱细胞猪皮复合物具有适宜的机械性能,其蜂窝状结构为其作为细胞载体提供了良好的空间结构,是一种具有良好应用前景的组织工程支架.     

磷铵两性离子改性血管脱细胞支架可以有效体外抗血栓和内皮化

由于自体血管(由同一受体的血管用于血管移植材料)的有限可用性,以及非自体血管(人工制成的血管移植材料)的生长能力不足,组织工程血管越来越受到重视。文中构建了一种磷铵两性离子改性的血管脱细胞支架附以高度生物相容的骨髓源内皮祖细胞为内层的新型血管移植材料。通过一种简便的方法——共沉淀法改性血管脱细胞支架,评价其体外血小板粘附实验、溶血实验、复钙实验和细胞毒性等相关指标。磷铵两性离子改性后抗凝血活性提高,可以有效地促使类似于天然血管腔表面凹凸结构的脱细胞支架表面内皮祖细胞的附着。改性后的脱细胞支架具有与天然血管相似的力学性能,在体外可以有效地构建内皮化。研究结果为血管脱细胞支架通过改性实现体外抗血栓和内皮化方面进行了初步探索。     

PLGA的不同组成对支架材料性能的影响研究

研究PLGA的不同组成对支架材料的力学性能、降解性能和生物学性能的影响。采用溶液浇注/颗粒沥取法制备出不同组成的PLGA多孔支架,对支架的力学性能和降解速率进行考察,同时将人真皮成纤维细胞接种于不同组成的PLGA支架材料上,培养不同时间后,检测细胞的粘附率和增殖率,以及细胞产生的总胶原含量,并通过扫描电镜观察支架上的细胞形态。结果显示,随PLA比例的增加,支架的力学强度增加,降解速率降低,但都不是线性变化。70:30比例的支架,拉伸强度最高,而70:30和80:20两种比例的支架,其降解速率没有显著性差异。PLGA不同组成的支架,均具有良好的细胞相容性,成纤维细胞粘附率和增殖率在三种比例的支架上没有显著性差异,细胞在支架表面生长良好,分泌大量的细胞外基质,细胞基本铺满整个支架。本文研究发现,PLGA的组成对支架力学性能、降解性能和生物学性能有细小但显著的影响,这将对组织构建选用PLGA支架材料提供有益的帮助。     

PGLA编织支架的制备与初步体内评价

目的:热拉伸会改变纤维的结构和性能,进而影响由纤维编织而成的支架的性能。本文考察了PGLA纤维的拉伸倍数对编织支架在SD大鼠皮下的体内降解行为的影响。方法:制备了基于生物可降解高分子材料聚乙交酯丙交酯(PGLA,GA/LA摩尔比=90/10)的完全生物可降解编织支架,通过测试支架在大鼠体内降解过程中的失重、表面形貌、热性能、径向压缩力等变化情况,考察了纤维的不同的拉伸倍数对支架体内降解过程的影响。结果:用拉伸倍数为5的PGLA纤维编织的支架在植入SD大鼠皮下后降解最慢,重量、吸水率、结晶度、化学成分和径向压缩力的变化最慢,植入体内10天后能够保持完整的支架形态。结论:纤维的拉伸倍数会影响由纤维编织成的支架的热性能和力学性能的变化,本研究结果表明这种新的手工编织的支架具有短暂支撑管腔狭窄的潜在应用,为支架的材料选择和制备方法提供了参考,为在体内起到短暂支撑作用的支架的深入研究提供了实验基础。     

下颌下腺脱细胞基质材料的生物相容性及毒理学研究

为探讨下颌下腺脱细胞基质支架材料的生物相容性,应用3%TritonX-100对SD大鼠的下颌下腺组织进行脱细胞处理,制备脱细胞基质支架材料,将该材料的浸提液注入小鼠体内进行全身急性毒性试验,观察小鼠全身反应.将该材料植入Wistar鼠肌内进行体内植入试验,不同时间观察支架材料与组织反应.用传代培养的第2代下颌下腺细胞与支架材料体外复合培养,第7 d时进行MTT检测,观察支架材料对细胞增殖的影响.全身急性毒性试验结果显示,实验组与对照组无显著性差别(P＞0.05),体内植入试验2、4、8 W时光镜下表现与对照组基本相似,MTT检测结果,细胞相对增长率为91.66%,支架材料的毒性为0级.结果可见,经3%TritonX-100脱细胞处理后所制备的下颌下腺生物衍生支架材料具有良好的生物相容性,对机体无毒害作用.     

利用脱细胞血管基质体外构建小口径组织工程血管

目的探讨利用犬的间充质干细胞诱导分化种子细胞,以异种脱细胞血管基质为基础体外构建小口径血管移植物。方法采用密度梯度离心和贴壁培养的方法从犬骨髓中分离出间充质干细胞并体外培养,诱导分化成内皮样细胞和平滑肌样细胞;采用非离子型去垢剂和胰蛋白酶去除猪颈动脉血管壁结构细胞,对脱细胞基质进行组织学、力学检测及孔隙率评估。在生物反应器内采用旋转种植的方法将犬骨髓间充质干细胞诱导的内皮样细胞种植到脱细胞基质上,体外构建小口径组织工程血管。结果犬的骨髓间充质干细胞体外能够定向诱导分化为平滑肌样细胞和内皮样细胞,可以作为血管组织工程的种子细胞。经过脱细胞处理后,光镜和电镜观察证实血管壁的细胞成分完全去除。具有良好的孔径和孔隙率。支架在生物力学、孔隙率等方面符合构建组织工程血管支架的要求。在生物反应器内剪切力条件下可以初步构建出组织工程血管。结论小口径血管移植物可以将间充质干细胞诱导种子细胞,以异种脱细胞血管支架作为基质,在搏动性生物反应器内培养的方法进行构建。     

全降解聚合物血管内支架植入后的力学微环境变化与MGF*

动脉粥样硬化作为一种主要的心血管疾病,威胁着全世界人类的健康. 全降解聚合物血管内支架是由生物可降解的高分子聚合物材料制作的用于治疗动脉粥样硬化病变变窄管腔的血管支架. 它克服了金属药物洗脱支架引起的慢性局部炎症反应、血管生理舒缩功能缺失和晚期支架内血栓形成以及未来可能在同一位置再次植入支架的缺陷. 但全降解聚合物支架由于各级降解产物的刺激引起炎症反应以及支架植入部位力学微环境的变化,从而引起支架内再狭窄和血栓形成,结合力生长因子(mechano growth factor, MGF)对力学刺激敏感的特性,MGF可能对心血管支架植入引起的局部力学变化作出响应. 因此本文对全降解聚合物支架植入后支架的降解特性与力学微环境变化引起的再狭窄、血栓形成等不良反应,以及MGF在其中的作用和研究进展进行了综述,以期为临床冠脉介入支架治疗提供参考.     

激光作用的皮肤生物力学试验研究和机理分析

激光能明显影响皮肤的生物力学性能。通过选择与人体皮肤力学性能相似的离体猪皮进行不同加载方式的拉伸试验,可以研究皮肤的拉伸强度、应力应变关系、皮肤各向异性、取样部位影响、激光作用影啊、反复加卸载,松弛效应等受力性能,分析激光作用的皮肤生物力学模型及皮肤受力和修复机理,并在本构模型中引入激光影响因素。试验发现,一定强度的激光可以改善皮肤弹性,且不影响其粘滞效应和松弛速率。     

类人胶原蛋白-丝素蛋白血管支架的制备及性能表征

为了提高血管支架的力学性能,将生物相容性良好的新型生物材料类人胶原蛋白(基因工程技术、高密度发酵生产)与丝素蛋白以质量比9:1、7:3、5:5复合,采用真空冷冻方法制备管状血管支架。研究了不同配比血管支架材料的表面结构、表面元素组成、力学性能、降解和生物相容性。结果表明:当类人胶原蛋白与丝素蛋白的质量比为7:3混合时,类人胶原蛋白-丝素蛋白管状支架具有均匀的多孔结构,孔径为(60±5)μm,孔隙率达到85%以上;获得了较理想的力学性能:应变为50%±5%,应力为(332±16)kPa;具有相对慢的降解速率;提高了细胞的黏附与增殖,具有良好的生物相容性。     

仿生黏弹性高分子水凝胶及其生物医学应用

天然细胞外基质和生物体软组织固有的黏弹性是调控细胞行为和组织修复与再生过程的关键因素.基于动态建构化学反应交联得到的动态高分子水凝胶材料可有效模拟在体细胞或组织的黏弹性力学微环境,为体外调控细胞命运、揭示其力学生物学响应机制提供了重要工具,也为组织修复与再生提供了仿生支架材料.本综述在介绍天然细胞外基质及生物体软组织黏弹性的基础上,重点对仿生黏弹性水凝胶材料的设计思路、性能表征及影响因素等进行了概括和总结,并揭示了黏弹性水凝胶调控细胞、组织行为的规律及机制,最后,分析了目前该领域研究中所存在的问题并对未来发展方向进行了展望.本综述将有助于启发高分子水凝胶的仿生功能化设计思路及材料生物学效应研究,进一步拓展高分子水凝胶材料的生物医学应用.     

用于人工韧带的聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯支架材料 的编织和力学性能分析

目的:通过对聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯(Polyethylene terephthalate,PET)材料的编织和力学性能的分析,初步探讨使用该材料构建组织工程韧带支架的可行性。方法:将不同强度的PET单纤维通过经编法编织成支架材料;然后使用电子拉力机对编织好的支架材料以及消毒处理后的支架材料进行力学性能测试并进行分析。结果:PET编织构建的支架材料结构稳定,其极限抗张强度已达到了前交叉韧带的力学要求。辐照消毒对支架材料的力学性能无短期影响。结论:该支架材料编织结构设计合理,具有优良的力学性能,消毒后对其力学性能无短期影响,有望通过改进生物学性能后成为一种较理想的组织工程前交叉韧带支架材料。     

Systematic investigation of porogen size and content on scaffold morphometric parameters and properties

A systematic investigation of tissue engineering scaffolds prepared by salt leaching of a photopolymerized dimethacrylate was performed to determine how the scaffold structure (porosity, pore size, etc.) can be controlled and also to determine how the scaffold structure and the mechanical properties are related. Two series of scaffolds were prepared with (1) the same polymer-to-salt ratio but different salt sizes (ranging from average size of 100 to 390 microm) and (2) the same salt size but different polymer-to-salt ratios (ranging from salt mass of 70 to 90%). These scaffolds were examined to determine how the fabrication parameters affected the scaffold morphometric parameters and corresponding mechanical properties. Combined techniques of X-ray microcomputed tomography (microCT), mercury porosimetry, and gravimetric analysis were used to determine the scaffold parameters, such as porosity, pore size, and strut thickness and their size distributions, and pore interconnectivity. Scaffolds with porosities ranging from 57% to 92% (by volume) with interconnected structures could be fabricated using the current technique. The porosity and strut thickness were subsequently related to the mechanical response of the scaffolds, both of which contribute to the compression modulus of the scaffold. The current study shows that the structure and properties of the scaffold could be tailored by the size and the amount of porogen used in the fabrication of the scaffold.     

Effects of three-dimensional scaffolds on cell organization and tissue development

Tissue engineering scaffolds play a critical role in regulating the reconstructed human tissue development. Various types of scaffolds have been developed in recent years, including fibrous matrix and foam-like scaffolds. The design of scaffold materials has been investigated extensively. However, the design of physical structure of the scaffold, especially fibrous matrices, has not received much attention. This paper compares the different characteristics of fibrous and foam-like scaffolds, and reviews regulatory roles of important scaffold properties, including surface geometry, scaffold configuration, pore structure, mechanical property and bioactivity. Tissue regeneration, cell organization, proliferation and differentiation under different microstructures were evaluated. The importance of proper scaffold selection and design is further discussed with the examples of bone tissue engineering and stem cell tissue engineering. This review addresses the importance of scaffold microstructure and provides insights in designing appropriate scaffold structure for different applications of tissue engineering.     

Structural properties of scaffolds: Crucial parameters towards stem cells differentiation

Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field that applies the principles of engineering and life-sciences for regeneration of damaged tissues. Stem cells have attracted much interest in tissue engineering as a cell source due to their ability to proliferate in an undifferentiated state for prolonged time and capability of differentiating to different cell types after induction. Scaffolds play an important role in tissue engineering as a substrate that can mimic the native extracellular matrix and the properties of scaffolds have been shown to affect the cell behavior such as the cell attachment, proliferation and differentiation. Here, we focus on the recent reports that investigated the various aspects of scaffolds including the materials used for scaffold fabrication, surface modification of scaffolds, topography and mechanical properties of scaffolds towards stem cells differentiation effect. We will present a more detailed overview on the effect of mechanical properties of scaffolds on stem cells fate.     

Microporous Dermal-Mimetic Electrospun Scaffolds Pre-Seeded with Fibroblasts Promote Tissue Regeneration in Full-Thickness Skin Wounds

Electrospun scaffolds serve as promising substrates for tissue repair due to their nanofibrous architecture and amenability to tailoring of chemical composition. In this study, the regenerative potential of a microporous electrospun scaffold pre-seeded with dermal fibroblasts was evaluated. Previously we reported that a 70% collagen I and 30% poly(Ɛ-caprolactone) electrospun scaffold (70:30 col/PCL) containing 160 μm diameter pores had favorable mechanical properties, supported fibroblast infiltration and subsequent cell-mediated deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM), and promoted more rapid and effective in vivo skin regeneration when compared to scaffolds lacking micropores. In the current study we tested the hypothesis that the efficacy of the 70:30 col/PCL microporous scaffolds could be further enhanced by seeding scaffolds with dermal fibroblasts prior to implantation into skin wounds. To address this hypothesis, a Fischer 344 (F344) rat syngeneic model was employed. In vitro studies showed that dermal fibroblasts isolated from F344 rat skin were able to adhere and proliferate on 70:30 col/PCL microporous scaffolds, and the cells also filled the 160 μm pores with native ECM proteins such as collagen I and fibronectin. Additionally, scaffolds seeded with F344 fibroblasts exhibited a low rate of contraction (~14%) over a 21 day time frame. To assess regenerative potential, scaffolds with or without seeded F344 dermal fibroblasts were implanted into full thickness, critical size defects created in F344 hosts. Specifically, we compared: microporous scaffolds containing fibroblasts seeded for 4 days; scaffolds containing fibroblasts seeded for only 1 day; acellular microporous scaffolds; and a sham wound (no scaffold). Scaffolds containing fibroblasts seeded for 4 days had the best response of all treatment groups with respect to accelerated wound healing, a more normal-appearing dermal matrix structure, and hair follicle regeneration. Collectively these results suggest that microporous electrospun scaffolds pre-seeded with fibroblasts promote greater wound-healing than acellular scaffolds.     

Modeling material-degradation-induced elastic property of tissue engineering scaffolds

The mechanical properties of tissue engineering scaffolds play a critical role in the success of repairing damaged tissues/organs. Determining the mechanical properties has proven to be a challenging task as these properties are not constant but depend upon time as the scaffold degrades. In this study, the modeling of the time-dependent mechanical properties of a scaffold is performed based on the concept of finite element model updating. This modeling approach contains three steps: (1) development of a finite element model for the effective mechanical properties of the scaffold, (2) parametrizing the finite element model by selecting parameters associated with the scaffold microstructure and/or material properties, which vary with scaffold degradation, and (3) identifying selected parameters as functions of time based on measurements from the tests on the scaffold mechanical properties as they degrade. To validate the developed model, scaffolds were made from the biocompatible polymer polycaprolactone (PCL) mixed with hydroxylapatite (HA) nanoparticles and their mechanical properties were examined in terms of the Young modulus. Based on the bulk degradation exhibited by the PCL/HA scaffold, the molecular weight was selected for model updating. With the identified molecular weight, the finite element model developed was effective for predicting the time-dependent mechanical properties of PCL/HA scaffolds during degradation.     

The influence of fibrous elastomer structure and porosity on matrix organization

Fibrous scaffolds are finding wide use in the field of tissue engineering, as they can be designed to mimic many native tissue properties and structures (e.g., cardiac tissue, meniscus). The influence of fiber alignment and scaffold architecture on cellular interactions and matrix organization was the focus of this study. Three scaffolds were fabricated from the photocrosslinkable elastomer poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS), with changes in fiber alignment (non-aligned (NA) versus aligned (AL)) and the introduction of a PEO sacrificial polymer population to the AL scaffold (composite (CO)). PEO removal led to an increase in scaffold porosity and maintenance of scaffold anisotropy, as evident through visualization, mechanical testing, and mass loss studies. Hydrated scaffolds possessed moduli that ranged between ～3-240 kPa, failing within the range of properties (<300 kPa) appropriate for soft tissue engineering. CO scaffolds were completely degraded as early as 16 days, whereas NA and AL scaffolds had ～90% mass loss after 21 days when monitored in vitro. Neonatal cardiomyocytes, used as a representative cell type, that were seeded onto the scaffolds maintained their viability and aligned along the surface of the AL and CO fibers. When implanted subcutaneously in rats, a model that is commonly used to investigate in vivo tissue responses to biomaterials, CO scaffolds were completely integrated at 2 weeks, whereas ～13% and ～16% of the NA and AL scaffolds, respectively remained acellular. However, all scaffolds were completely populated with cells at 4 weeks post-implantation. Polarized light microscopy was used to evaluate the collagen elaboration and orientation within the scaffold. An increase in the amount of collagen was observed for CO scaffolds and enhanced alignment of the nascent collagen was observed for AL and CO scaffolds compared to NA scaffolds. Thus, these results indicate that the scaffold architecture and porosity are important considerations in controlling tissue formation.     

A novel method for biomaterial scaffold internal architecture design to match bone elastic properties with desired porosity

An often-proposed tissue engineering design hypothesis is that the scaffold should provide a biomimetic mechanical environment for initial function and appropriate remodeling of regenerating tissue while concurrently providing sufficient porosity for cell migration and cell/gene delivery. To provide a systematic study of this hypothesis, the ability to precisely design and manufacture biomaterial scaffolds is needed. Traditional methods for scaffold design and fabrication cannot provide the control over scaffold architecture design to achieve specified properties within fixed limits on porosity. The purpose of this paper was to develop a general design optimization scheme for 3D internal scaffold architecture to match desired elastic properties and porosity simultaneously, by introducing the homogenization-based topology optimization algorithm (also known as general layout optimization). With an initial target for bone tissue engineering, we demonstrate that the method can produce highly porous structures that match human trabecular bone anisotropic stiffness using accepted biomaterials. In addition, we show that anisotropic bone stiffness may be matched with scaffolds of widely different porosity. Finally, we also demonstrate that prototypes of the designed structures can be fabricated using solid free-form fabrication (SFF) techniques.     

A new method of fabricating robust freeform 3D ceramic scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration

Fabrication of three‐dimensional (3D) scaffolds with appropriate mechanical properties and desired architecture for promoting cell growth and new tissue formation is one of the most important efforts in tissue engineering field. Scaffolds fabricated from bioactive ceramic materials such as hydroxyapatite and tricalcium phosphate show promise because of their biological ability to support bone tissue regeneration. However, the use of ceramics as scaffold materials is limited because of their inherent brittleness and difficult processability. The aim of this study was to create robust ceramic scaffolds, which have a desired architecture. Such scaffolds were successfully fabricated by projection‐based microstereolithography, and dilatometric analysis was conducted to study the sintering behavior of the ceramic materials. The mechanical properties of the scaffolds were improved by infiltrating them with a polycaprolactone solution. The toughness and compressive strength of these ceramic/polymer scaffolds were about twice those of ceramic scaffolds. Furthermore, the osteogenic gene expression on ceramic/polymer scaffolds was better than that on ceramic scaffolds. Through this study, we overcame the limitations of previous research on fabricating ceramic scaffolds and these new robust ceramic scaffolds may provide a much improved 3D substrate for bone tissue regeneration. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 1444–1455. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Effects of fabrication on the mechanics,microstructure and micromechanical environment of small intestinal submucosa scaffolds for vascular tissue engineering

In small intestinal submucosa scaffolds for functional tissue engineering, the impact of scaffold fabrication parameters on success rate may be related to the mechanotransductory properties of the final microstructural organization of collagen fibers. We hypothesized that two fabrication parameters, 1) preservation (P) or removal (R) of a dense collagen layer present in SIS and 2) SIS in a final dehydrated (D) or hydrated (H) state, have an effect on scaffold void area, microstructural anisotropy (fiber alignment) and mechanical anisotropy (global mechanical compliance). We further integrated our experimental measurements in a constitutive model to explore final effects on the micromechanical environment inside the scaffold volume. Our results indicated that PH scaffolds might exhibit recurrent and large force fluctuations between layers (up to 195 pN), while fluctuations in RH scaffolds might be larger (up to 256 pN) but not as recurrent. In contrast, both PD and RD groups were estimated to produce scarcer and smaller fluctuations (not larger than 50 pN). We concluded that the hydration parameter strongly affects the micromechanics of SIS and that an adequate choice of fabrication parameters, assisted by the herein developed method, might leverage the use of SIS for functional tissue engineering applications, where forces at the cellular level are of concern in the guidance of new tissue formation.