Bijel-templated implantable biomaterials for enhancing tissue integration and vascularization

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Immunology

Background:

• The foreign body response (FBR) and inadequate tissue integration limit the efficacy and longevity of implanted medical devices.
• Porous biomaterials and surface modifications can influence the FBR and promote vascularization, but optimal pore structure and surface morphology remain critical.
• Current biomaterials often struggle to balance porosity for integration with control over pore architecture and surface characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a novel class of porous biomaterials templated from bicontinuous interfacially jammed emulsion gels (bijels).
• To investigate the impact of bijel-templated materials (BTMs) on tissue integration, vascularization, and the foreign body response (FBR) in vivo.
• To compare the performance of BTMs against conventional particle-templated materials (PTMs) and non-templated materials (NTMs).

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of cylindrical polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) biomaterials using bijel templating (BTMs), particle templating (PTMs), and non-templated methods (NTMs).
• Subcutaneous implantation of PEGDA BTMs, PTMs, and NTMs into athymic nude mice for 28 days.
• Histological analysis of retrieved implants to assess vascularization, collagen deposition, and cellular infiltration (macrophages).

Main Results:

• BTMs exhibited significantly enhanced vascularization, characterized by increased blood vessel size and depth, compared to PTMs and NTMs.
• Histological analysis revealed favorable collagen deposition and a higher presence of pro-healing macrophages within BTMs.
• The unique porous network and hyperbolic surface morphology of BTMs promoted superior tissue integration and reduced the FBR.

Conclusions:

• Bijel templating provides a novel and effective strategy for creating biomaterials with enhanced tissue integration and vascularization.
• BTMs demonstrate a reduced foreign body response, suggesting improved biocompatibility and potential for increased implant longevity.
• This new class of self-assembled biomaterials offers a promising platform for developing next-generation implantable devices with improved clinical performance.