Quantitative evaluation of the in vivo biocompatibility and performance of freeze-cast tissue scaffolds

Quantitative methods are little used for the in vivo assessment of tissue scaffolds to evaluate biocompatibility. To complement current histological techniques, we introduce as a measure of biocompatibility a straightforward, geometric analysis for the quantitative assessment of encapsulation thickness, cross-sectional area, and biomaterial shape. Advantages of this new technique are that it enables, on the one hand, a more complete and objective comparison of scaffolds with differing compositions, architectures, and mechanical properties, and, on the other, a more objective approach to their selection for a given application. In this contribution, we focus on freeze-cast polymeric scaffolds for tissue regeneration and their subcutaneous implantation in mice for biocompatibility testing. Initially, seven different scaffold types are screened. Of these, three are selected for systematic biocompatibility studies based on histopathological criteria: EDC-NHS-crosslinked bovine collagen, EDC-NHS-crosslinked bovine collagen-nanocellulose, and chitin. Geometric models developed to quantify scaffold size, ovalization, and encapsulation thickness are tested, evaluated, and found to be a powerful and objective metric for the in vivo assessment of biocompatibility and performance of tissue scaffolds.