Tailoring the pore design of embroidered structures by melt electrowriting to enhance the cell alignment in scaffold-based tendon reconstruction

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Tissue engineering of ligaments and tendons aims to reproduce the complex and hierarchical tissue structure while meeting the biomechanical and biological requirements. For the first time, the additive manufacturing methods of embroidery technology and melt electrowriting (MEW) were combined to mimic these properties closely. The mechanical benefits of embroidered structures were paired with a superficial micro-scale structure to provide a guide pattern for directional cell growth. An evaluation of several previously reported MEW fiber architectures was performed. The designs with the highest cell orientation of primary dermal fibroblasts were then applied to embroidery structures and subsequently evaluated using human adipose-derived stem cells (AT-MSC). The addition of MEW fibers resulted in the formation of a mechanically robust layer on the embroidered scaffolds, leading to composite structures with mechanical properties comparable to those of the anterior cruciate ligament. Furthermore, the combination of embroidered and MEW structures supports a higher cell orientation of AT-MSC compared to embroidered structures alone. Collagen coating further promoted cell attachment. Thus, these investigations provide a sound basis for the fabrication of heterogeneous and hierarchical synthetic tendon and ligament substitutes.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number213708
Pages (from-to)213708
JournalBiomaterials advances
Volume156
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85178447670
ORCID /0000-0001-9075-5121/work/158765429

Keywords

Keywords

  • Humans, Tissue Scaffolds/chemistry, Tissue Engineering/methods, Collagen/chemistry, Anterior Cruciate Ligament, Tendons