posted on 2020-03-10, 15:33authored byPrasad Sawadkar, Jeviya Mohanakrishnan, Poojitha Rajasekar, Benyamin Rahmani, Nupur Kohli, Laurent Bozec, Elena García-Gareta
Biomaterials
for tissue engineering include natural and synthetic polymers, but
their clinical application is still limited due to various disadvantages
associated with the use of these polymers. This uncertainty of the
polymeric approach in tissue engineering launches an opportunity to
address a key question: can we eliminate the disadvantages of both
natural and synthetic polymers by combining them to form a synergistic
relationship? To answer this question, we fabricated scaffolds from
elastin, collagen, fibrin, and electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL)
with different ratios. The material characterization of these scaffolds
investigated degradation, water contact angle, angiogenesis by an
ex ovo chorion allantoic membrane (CAM) assay, and mechanical and
structural properties. Biological activity and specific differentiation
pathways (MSC, adipogenic, osteogenic, myogenic, and chondrogenic)
were studied by using human adipose-derived stem cells. Results indicated
that all composite polymers degraded at a different rate, thus affecting
their mechanical integrity. Cell-based assays demonstrated continual
proliferative and viable properties of the cells on all seeded scaffolds
with the particular initiation of a differentiation pathway among
which the PCL/collagen/fibrin composite was the most angiogenic material
with maximum vasculature. We were able to tailor the physical and
biological properties of PCL-based composites to form a synergistic
relationship for various tissue regeneration applications.