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Mechanically-enhanced three-dimensional scaffold with anisotropic morphology for tendon regeneration

  • Biocompatibility Studies
  • Original Research
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Abstract

Tissue engineering has showed promising results in restoring diseased tendon tissue functions. Herein, a hybrid three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffold comprising an outer portion rolled from an electrohydrodynamic jet printed poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) fiber mesh, and an inner portion fabricated from uniaxial stretching of a heat-sealed PCL tube, was developed for tendon tissue engineering (TE) application. The outer portion included three layers of micrometer-scale fibrous bundles (fiber diameter: ~25 µm), with an interconnected spacing and geometric anisotropy along the scaffold length. The inner portion showed orientated micro-ridges/grooves in a parallel direction to that of the outer portion. Owning to the addition of the inner portion, the as-fabricated scaffold exhibited comparable mechanical properties to those of the human patellar tendon in terms of Young’s modulus (~227 MPa) and ultimate tensile stress (~50 MPa). Compared to the rolled electrospun fibers, human tenocytes cultured in the tendon scaffolds showed increased cellular metabolism. Furthermore, the 3D tendon scaffold resulted in up-regulated cell alignment, cell elongation and formation of collagen type I. These results demonstrated the potential of mechanically-enhanced 3D fibrous scaffold for applications in tendon TE, with desired cell alignment and functional differentiation.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by A*STAR Science and Engineering Research Council, Singapore under the Public Sector Funding 2012 Project Number 132 120 2074. Also, thanks for awarding a National University of Singapore Research Scholarship to YW.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore, 117576, Singapore

    Yang Wu, Zuyong Wang, Jerry Ying Hsi Fuh, Yoke San Wong & Eng San Thian

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119074, Singapore

    Wilson Wang

  3. National University of Singapore (Suzhou) Research Institute, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou, 215123, China

    Jerry Ying Hsi Fuh

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  1. Yang Wu
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  2. Zuyong Wang
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  3. Jerry Ying Hsi Fuh
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Correspondence to Eng San Thian.

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Wu, Y., Wang, Z., Fuh, J.Y.H. et al. Mechanically-enhanced three-dimensional scaffold with anisotropic morphology for tendon regeneration. J Mater Sci: Mater Med 27, 115 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-016-5728-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-016-5728-z

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