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Electrospinning Fibrous Polymer Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Cell Culture
Published on: October 21, 2009
Scaffolds from electrospun polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymers: fabrication, characterization, bioabsorption and tissue
Tang H Ying1, Daisuke Ishii, Atsushi Mahara
1Bioengineering Laboratory, RIKEN Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
Biomaterials
|December 25, 2007
Summary
Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) copolymers were electrospun into biocompatible scaffolds. Higher 4-hydroxybutyrate content improved scaffold bioabsorption and tissue response in vivo.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable polyesters with potential in biomedical applications.
- Tailoring PHA copolymer composition can modulate properties like biocompatibility and degradation rate.
- Electrospinning is a versatile technique for fabricating fibrous scaffolds from polymers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate and characterize electrospun polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) copolymer scaffolds.
- To investigate the in vivo bioabsorption and tissue response of these scaffolds.
- To correlate scaffold properties with bioabsorption and tissue integration.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis and electrospinning of PHA copolymers: poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-5mol%-(R)-3-hydroxyhexanoate], poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-7mol%-4-hydroxybutyrate], and poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-97mol%-4-hydroxybutyrate].
- Subcutaneous implantation in rats for in vivo bioabsorption and tissue response studies.
- Characterization using gel permeation chromatography, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, tensile testing, and histological evaluation.
Main Results:
- PHA copolymer scaffolds exhibited varying bioabsorption rates influenced by the content and type of the second monomer and fiber diameter.
- Scaffolds with higher 4-hydroxybutyrate content demonstrated improved bioabsorption and enhanced tissue response.
- Comparison with poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] scaffolds highlighted the significant impact of copolymerization on material properties and biological performance.
Conclusions:
- The composition of PHA copolymers, particularly the incorporation of 4-hydroxybutyrate, critically affects their bioabsorption and biocompatibility.
- Electrospun PHA scaffolds with tailored compositions offer promising potential for tissue engineering applications requiring controlled degradation and favorable tissue integration.
