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Fabrication of a Bioactive, PCL-based "Self-fitting" Shape Memory Polymer Scaffold
Published on: October 23, 2015
Surface modification of polycaprolactone scaffolds fabricated via selective laser sintering for cartilage tissue
Chih-Hao Chen1, Ming-Yih Lee2, Victor Bong-Hang Shyu3
1Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Craniofacial Research Center, Chang Gung University, Kweishann, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan, ROC.
Abstract:
Surface modified porous polycaprolactone scaffolds fabricated via rapid prototyping techniques were evaluated for cartilage tissue engineering purposes. Polycaprolactone scaffolds manufactured by selective laser sintering (SLS) were surface modified through immersion coating with either gelatin or collagen. Three groups of scaffolds were created and compared for both mechanical and biological properties. Surface modification with collagen or gelatin improved the hydrophilicity, water uptake and mechanical strength of the pristine scaffold. From microscopic observations and biochemical analysis, collagen-modified scaffold was the best for cartilage tissue engineering in terms of cell proliferation and extracellular matrix production. Chondrocytes/collagen-modified scaffold constructs were implanted subdermally in the dorsal spaces of female nude mice. Histological and immunohistochemical staining of the retrieved implants after 8 weeks revealed enhanced cartilage tissue formation. We conclude that collagen surface modification through immersion coating on SLS-manufactured scaffolds is a feasible scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering in craniofacial reconstruction.
