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Converting 2D Nanofiber Membranes to 3D Hierarchical Assemblies with Structural and Compositional Gradients Regulates
Shixuan Chen1, Alec McCarthy1, Johnson V John1
1Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|September 18, 2020
Summary
Researchers developed novel 3D nanofiber scaffolds with tunable gradients for tissue engineering. These advanced biomaterials promote stem cell differentiation and tissue repair, offering new avenues for regenerative medicine.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Developing advanced biomaterials is crucial for effective tissue repair and disease modeling.
- Current methods often lack the complexity to mimic native tissue microenvironments.
- Hierarchical 3D structures with controlled gradients are needed to guide cellular behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present new methods for fabricating 3D hierarchical nanofiber assemblies with structural and compositional gradients.
- To investigate the impact of pore size and signaling molecule gradients on cell behavior.
- To demonstrate the potential of these 3D constructs in tissue engineering and disease modeling.
Main Methods:
- Conversion of 2D electrospun nanofiber membranes to 3D hierarchical assemblies.
- Generation of pore-size gradients via gas-foaming and surfactant incorporation.
- Formation of fiber organization gradients by varying mandrel rotation speeds.
- Preparation of compositional gradients using dripping, diffusion, and crosslinking techniques.
Main Results:
- 3D nanofiber assemblies with pore-size gradients were successfully fabricated.
- Bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) exhibited enhanced chondrogenic differentiation and hypoxia-related marker expression on smaller pore-sized scaffolds.
- A basic fibroblast growth factor gradient accelerated fibroblast migration in an in vitro wound healing model.
Conclusions:
- 3D nanofiber assemblies with gradients in pore size, fiber organization, and signaling molecules offer a versatile platform for tissue engineering.
- These constructs can be utilized for tissue repair applications, particularly in interface tissue engineering.
- The developed biomimetic disease models are valuable for studying disease biology and drug screening.
