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09:24
Tissue Engineering: Construction of a Multicellular 3D Scaffold for the Delivery of Layered Cell Sheets
Published on: October 3, 2014
15.1K
Development of Tunable Hard and Soft Lattice Scaffolds for Multiscale Tissue Engineering Applications.
Jasmine Carpenter1, Elijah Barnes1, Amrita Natarajan1
1Laboratory for Polymeric Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering, Alabama State University, Montgomery, Alabama 36104, United States.
ACS Applied Bio Materials
|October 8, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed tunable hard and soft lattice scaffolds using 3D printing. Surface modifications and material choices enhanced cell attachment and bone formation for tissue engineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Tunable scaffolds are crucial for multiscale tissue engineering.
- Designing scaffolds with controlled mechanical properties and bioactivity is essential for successful tissue regeneration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To computationally design and 3D print tunable hard and soft lattice scaffolds.
- To investigate the effects of lattice topology, material composition, and surface modification on mechanical properties and cellular responses.
- To establish a framework for creating hybrid scaffold systems for complex tissue regeneration.
Main Methods:
- Computationally designed and 3D printed polylactic acid (PLA) gyroid and diamond scaffolds with varying parameters.
- Characterized mechanical properties via compression testing and architecture via Micro-CT.
- Surface modified PLA scaffolds with polydopamine (PDA).
- Developed soft scaffolds by reinforcing alginate hydrogels with hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanocrystals and 3D bioprinting various geometries.
- Assessed cell attachment, spreading, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation (hMSCs) and metabolic activity/DNA content (fibroblasts).
Main Results:
- PLA gyroid and diamond scaffolds exhibited tunable mechanical properties (modulus 82-405 MPa) and controlled porosity (63-85%).
- PDA surface modification enhanced human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) attachment and osteogenic differentiation, with PDA-coated diamond scaffolds showing highest calcium deposition.
- Soft alginate-HAP scaffolds demonstrated improved printability with increasing HAP content.
- Fibroblast studies showed highest metabolic activity and DNA content in square honeycomb soft scaffolds.
Conclusions:
- Lattice geometry, material reinforcement, and surface biofunctionalization can be systematically combined to create tunable scaffolds.
- These tunable scaffolds show promise for both load-bearing and soft tissue applications.
- The findings lay the groundwork for hybrid scaffold systems with spatial and mechanical gradients for complex tissue regeneration.
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