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Published on: April 8, 2020
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A modular approach to easily processable supramolecular bilayered scaffolds with tailorable properties
Björne B Mollet1, Marta Comellas-Aragonès, A J H Spiering
1Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands. p.y.w.dankers@tue.nl.
Journal of Materials Chemistry. B
|April 9, 2020
Summary
This study introduces a modular supramolecular biomaterial system for creating electrospun bilayered scaffolds. These scaffolds can be tailored for tissue engineering, including applications in bioartificial kidney development.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Engineering anisotropic tissues requires extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking scaffolds with asymmetric functionalities.
- Current methods for creating such scaffolds can be complex and lack modularity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a convenient, modular approach for creating electrospun bilayered scaffolds with tailorable properties using supramolecular building blocks.
- To demonstrate the ability to combine cell-adhesive and non-cell adhesive properties within a single scaffold.
- To bioactivate a non-cell adhesive layer for specific cell adhesion.
Main Methods:
- Utilized polymers and peptides functionalized with ureido-pyrimidinone (UPy) moieties as supramolecular building blocks.
- Employed electrospinning to fabricate bilayered scaffolds from these UPy-functionalized materials.
- Incorporated UPy-modified Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide to impart cell-adhesive properties.
Main Results:
- Successfully formed modular, electrospun bilayered scaffolds with tunable properties.
- Demonstrated the combination of cell-adhesive (polycaprolactone/poly(ethylene glycol)) and non-cell adhesive layers in one scaffold.
- Achieved bioactivation of the non-cell adhesive layer for kidney epithelial cell adhesion by incorporating UPy-RGD peptide.
Conclusions:
- The UPy-based supramolecular biomaterial system provides a versatile toolbox for constructing modular, multilayered scaffolds.
- This approach is highly promising for tissue engineering applications, particularly for creating membranes for living bioartificial kidneys.
