Microporous polymeric 3D scaffolds templated by the layer-by-layer self-assembly.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Polymeric scaffolds are crucial for cell support, organization, and tissue development.
• Key challenges in scaffold fabrication include controlling internal structure and loading/distributing biomolecules.
• Current methods require improvement for precise control over scaffold architecture and bio-molecule delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel method for fabricating hollow polymeric scaffolds.
• To demonstrate control over scaffold architecture and biomolecule loading using a templating approach.
• To investigate the influence of scaffold size on cellular adhesion.

Main Methods:

• Utilized porous calcium carbonate (CaCO3) particles as sacrificial templates.
• Employed the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique for polymer coating of CaCO3 cores within a microfluidic channel.
• Removed CaCO3 cores under mild conditions to form interconnected hollow polymer microspheres.
• Loaded microspheres with bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated hollow polymeric scaffolds composed of interconnected hollow polymer microspheres.
• Demonstrated that core size dictates scaffold feature dimensions, with an optimal microsphere size of 12 μm for 3T3 fibroblast adhesion.
• Successfully loaded the scaffolds with BSA, indicating potential for biomolecule delivery.
• Showcased potential for localized biomolecule release triggered by external stimuli like IR-light.

Conclusions:

• Developed a versatile method for creating tunable hollow polymeric scaffolds.
• The fabricated scaffolds support cellular adhesion and offer controlled biomolecule loading and release capabilities.
• These scaffolds hold promise for advanced applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.