Hydrogel microfibers with perfusable folded channels for tissue constructs with folded morphology.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Fiber-based materials with microchannels are increasingly used to mimic living tissue structures.
• Folded morphologies, common in tissues like skeletal muscle and intestine, are crucial for tissue function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate microfibers with controllable folded hollow channel morphologies.
• To evaluate the potential of these microfibers for tissue engineering applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of microfibers with straight-folded, double-folded, and double-helical channels using microfluidic devices.
• Regulation of channel morphology by adjusting flow conditions.
• Construction of intestine and skeletal muscle tissue constructs using the fabricated microfibers.
• Evaluation of microfiber properties including perfusability, permeability, cytocompatibility, and weavability.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated microfibers with various folded channel morphologies (straight-folded, double-folded, double-helical) by controlling microfluidic flow conditions.
• Demonstrated the potential for tissue engineering by creating intestine and skeletal muscle constructs using these microfibers.
• Evaluated and confirmed the perfusability, permeability, cytocompatibility, and weavability of the novel microfibers.
• Observed asymmetric molecular distributions within the microfibers, suggesting utility for studying nutrient exchange.

Conclusions:

• Novel microfibers with tunable folded hollow channels have been developed, mimicking biological tissue structures.
• These biofibers serve as promising building blocks for creating tissue constructs for regenerative medicine and drug screening.
• The unique properties of these microfibers offer new platforms for investigating nutrient exchange in complex biological systems.