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Elastase-Sensitive Elastomeric Scaffolds with Variable Anisotropy for Soft Tissue Engineering

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Abstract

Purpose

To develop elastase-sensitive polyurethane scaffolds that would be applicable to the engineering of mechanically active soft tissues.

Methods

A polyurethane containing an elastase-sensitive peptide sequence was processed into scaffolds by thermally induced phase separation. Processing conditions were manipulated to alter scaffold properties and anisotropy. The scaffold’s mechanical properties, degradation, and cytocompatibility using muscle-derived stem cells were characterized. Scaffold in vivo degradation was evaluated by subcutaneous implantation.

Results

When heat transfer was multidirectional, scaffolds had randomly oriented pores. Imposition of a heat transfer gradient resulted in oriented pores. Both scaffolds were flexible and relatively strong with mechanical properties dependent upon fabrication conditions such as solvent type, polymer concentration and quenching temperature. Oriented scaffolds exhibited anisotropic mechanical properties with greater tensile strength in the orientation direction. These scaffolds also supported muscle-derived stem cell growth more effectively than random scaffolds. The scaffolds expressed over 40% weight loss after 56 days in elastase containing buffer. Elastase-sensitive scaffolds were complete degraded after 8 weeks subcutaneous implantation in rats, markedly faster than similar polyurethanes that did not contain the peptide sequence.

Conclusion

The elastase-sensitive polyurethane scaffolds showed promise for application in soft tissue engineering where controlling scaffold mechanical properties and pore architecture are desirable.

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grant no. HL069368). We are grateful to the laboratory of Dr. Johnny Huard at the University of Pittsburgh for their provision of mouse muscle derived stem cells.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Jianjun Guan

    Present address: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 43210, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, 100 Technology Drive, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15219, USA

    Jianjun Guan, Kazuro L. Fujimoto & William R. Wagner

  2. Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, USA

    William R. Wagner

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, USA

    William R. Wagner

Authors
  1. Jianjun Guan
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  2. Kazuro L. Fujimoto
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  3. William R. Wagner
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Correspondence to William R. Wagner.

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Guan, J., Fujimoto, K.L. & Wagner, W.R. Elastase-Sensitive Elastomeric Scaffolds with Variable Anisotropy for Soft Tissue Engineering. Pharm Res 25, 2400–2412 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-008-9628-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-008-9628-x

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