Medical textile implants: hybrid fibrous constructions towards improved performances

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Textile Engineering
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Textile implants face challenges with foreign body reactions (FBR) and fibrosis, influenced by fiber and pore size, and construction organization.
• Non-woven fibrous assemblies offer a favorable biological interface but lack mechanical strength compared to woven structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a hybrid fibrous construct combining woven and non-woven polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for improved textile implant performance.
• To investigate the mechanical properties and biological interactions of the hybrid construct.

Main Methods:

• Two PET weaves (satin and plain) were combined with a non-woven PET mat using ultrasound welding.
• Evaluated physical, mechanical, and biological interaction properties, including wettability and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) adhesion and proliferation.
• Performed in vitro studies at 24 hours for adhesion and 72 hours for proliferation.

Main Results:

• The hybrid construct's physical and mechanical properties were assessed.
• Wettability and interaction with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were evaluated in vitro.
• The non-woven layer modulated MSC proliferation differently based on the underlying weave structure.

Conclusions:

• The hybrid textile construct demonstrated varying effects on cell proliferation depending on the weave type.
• The non-woven layer reduced MSC proliferation in the plain weave but enhanced it in the satin weave.
• This hybrid design offers a strategy to tune biological responses for textile implants.