Fabrication of a micropatterned shape-memory polymer patch with L-DOPA for tendon regeneration

A scaffold design for tendon regeneration has been proposed, which mimics the microstructural features of tendons and provides appropriate mechanical properties. We synthesized a temperature-triggered shape-memory polymer (SMP) using the ring-opening polymerization of polycaprolactone (PCL) with polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a macroinitiator. We fabricated a micropatterned patch using SMP via capillary force lithography, which mimicked a native tendon, for providing physical cues and guiding effects. The SMP patches (the SMP-flat patch is referred to as SMP-F, and the SMP-patterned patch is referred to as SMP-P) were surface-modified with 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (L-DOPA, referred to as D) for improving cell adhesion. We hypothesized that SMP patches could be applied in minimally invasive surgery and the micropatterned structure would improve tendon regeneration by providing geometrical cues. The SMP patches exhibited excellent shape-memory properties, mechanical performance, and biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo. Especially, SMP-DP demonstrated enhanced cell behaviors in vitro, including cell orientation, elongation, migration, and tenogenic differentiation potential. The in vivo data showed notable biomechanical functionality and histological morphometric findings in various analyses of SMP-DP in the ruptured Achilles tendon model.