Electrospinning and Additive Manufacturing: Adding Three-Dimensionality to Electrospun Scaffolds for Tissue...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Medical Device Fabrication

Background:

• Scaffold performance relies on structure, materials, and processing.
• Electrospinning yields micro/nanofibers with tunable properties.
• Additive Manufacturing (AM) offers high geometric complexity and patient-specific designs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore advances in hybrid scaffolds combining electrospinning and AM.
• To investigate multi-layered architectures and fiber-reinforced bioinks.
• To understand the impact of micro/nano-features on cellular behavior.

Main Methods:

• Integration of electrospinning (non-melt) with Additive Manufacturing.
• Fabrication of multi-layered scaffolds with alternating fiber and AM components.
• Reinforcement of bioinks with electrospun fibers prior to AM.

Main Results:

• Hybrid scaffolds demonstrate potential for mimicking natural tissue architecture.
• Combined technologies enable precise control over micro- and nano-scale features.
• Investigated cellular attachment, migration, and differentiation on hybrid structures.

Conclusions:

• Hybrid scaffolds represent a progressive approach in tissue engineering.
• Combining electrospinning and AM offers synergistic benefits for scaffold design.
• The interplay of micro/nano-features significantly influences cellular responses, advancing implant and regenerative medicine possibilities.