Fabrication of cell patches using biodegradable scaffolds with a hexagonal array of interconnected pores (SHAIPs)

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Yu Shrike Zhang, Emory University; Junjie Yao, Washington University; Lihong V. Wang, Washington University; Younan Xia, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2014-01-14
• Publisher: MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica (МАИК Наука/Интерпериодика)
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2013.06.019
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Высокомолекулярные соединения / Polymer Science, Series A. Polymer Physics / Vysokomolekulyarnye Soedineniya, Ser. A.
• ISSN: 0507-5475
• Volume: 55
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 445
• End Page: 452
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by an NIH Director’s Pioneer Award (DP1 OD000798); and startup funds from Georgia Institute of Technology (to Y.X.).; Part of the research was performed at the Alafi Neuroimaging Laboratory, the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, which is supported by the NIH Neuroscience Blueprint Center Core Grant P30 NS057105.; This work was also sponsored by NIH grants (R01 EB000712, R01 NS46214, R01 EB008085, and U54 CA136398, to L.V.W.).
• Keywords: tissue engineering; regenerative medicine; porous scaffolds; cell patches; photoacoustic microscopy; C2C12 myoblasts
• Research Categories: Engineering, Biomedical

Abstract

Cell patches are widely used for healing injuries on the surfaces or interfaces of tissues such as those of epidermis and myocardium. Here we report a novel type of porous scaffolds made of poly(d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) for fabricating cell patches. The scaffolds have a single layer of spherical pores arranged in a unique hexagonal pattern and are therefore referred to as "scaffolds with a hexagonal array of interconnected pores (SHAIPs)". SHAIPs contain both uniform pores and interconnecting windows that can facilitate the exchange of biomacromolecules, ensure homogeneous cell seeding, and promote cell migration. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, we have created skeletal muscle patches with a thickness of approximately 150 μm using SHAIPs. The myoblasts seeded in the scaffolds maintained high viability and were able to differentiate into multi-nucleated myotubes. Moreover, neovasculature could efficiently develop into the patches upon subcutaneous implantation in vivo.