Engineering adaptive self-healing biomaterials from jammed microfluidic elastomeric particles

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Implantable biomaterials must adapt to the body's dynamic mechanical and structural environment.
• Current adaptive shape-changing materials for implantation are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel remoldable, biodegradable, and biocompatible granular scaffold for adaptive tissue engineering.
• To investigate the scaffold's properties and performance under in vitro and in vivo conditions.

Main Methods:

• Generated monodisperse poly(octamethylene maleate (anhydride) citrate) (POMaC) particles using droplet microfluidics.
• Formed interconnected, porous, and self-healing elastomeric scaffolds via jamming and UV-crosslinking.
• Evaluated scaffold tunability, self-healing, cell infiltration, and in vivo remolding capabilities.

Main Results:

• Scaffold properties (mechanical, stability, permeability) were tunable via chemical composition and crosslinking.
• Demonstrated autonomous self-healing, enhanced molecular diffusivity, and robust cell infiltration.
• Successfully remolded scaffolds in vivo 24 hours post-implantation, promoting macrophage recruitment and vascular ingrowth.

Conclusions:

• Established a versatile strategy for adaptive implantable biomaterials.
• The granular scaffold shows potential for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering applications.
• The material's ability to adapt shape post-implantation addresses a key limitation in current biomaterials.