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Pneumatospinning Biomimetic Scaffolds for Meniscus Tissue Engineering
Erik W Dorthé1, Austin B Williams2, Shawn P Grogan1
1Department of Orthopaedics, Shiley Center for Orthopaedic Research and Education, Scripps Health, San Diego, CA, United States.
Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
|February 21, 2022
Summary
Pneumatospinning creates thicker, porous collagen scaffolds for meniscus regeneration, outperforming electrospinning. These scaffolds support cell growth and form fibrocartilage-like tissue, showing promise for tissue engineering.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Electrospinning is limited for meniscus regeneration due to slow fabrication and dense fibers.
- Limited cell distribution in electrospun scaffolds hinders tissue regeneration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate pneumatospinning for fabricating thicker collagen scaffolds for meniscus tissue engineering.
- To assess scaffold porosity, mechanical properties, and cell support for neo-fibrocartilage formation.
Main Methods:
- Pneumatospinning of collagen type I solutions to create ~1 mm thick scaffolds in 2 hours.
- Scanning electron microscopy for fiber analysis; porosity and pore size measurements.
- Mesenchymal stem cell seeding, culture, and *ex vivo* implantation in meniscal explants.
Main Results:
- Pneumatospun scaffolds exhibited a mix of fiber sizes (1-30 µm) and ~48% porosity with suitable pore sizes.
- Scaffolds supported high mesenchymal stem cell viability (>70%) and induced a fibrocartilage phenotype.
- *Ex vivo* implantation led to integrated fibrocartilage-like neotissues with ECM deposition.
Conclusions:
- Pneumatospinning is an efficient method for producing thicker, biomimetic collagen scaffolds for meniscus tissue engineering.
- The generated scaffolds possess porosity and mechanical properties conducive to cell infiltration and neo-tissue development.
- This approach shows significant potential for meniscus regeneration using clinically relevant cell sources.
