Biofabrication of customized bone grafts by combination of additive manufacturing and bioreactor knowhow

This study reports on an original concept of additive manufacturing for the fabrication of tissue engineered constructs (TEC), offering the possibility of concomitantly manufacturing a customized scaffold and a bioreactor chamber to any size and shape. As a proof of concept towards the development of anatomically relevant TECs, this concept was utilized for the design and fabrication of a highly porous sheep tibia scaffold around which a bioreactor chamber of similar shape was simultaneously built. The morphology of the bioreactor/scaffold device was investigated by micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy confirming the porous architecture of the sheep tibiae as opposed to the non-porous nature of the bioreactor chamber. Additionally, this study demonstrates that both the shape, as well as the inner architecture of the device can significantly impact the perfusion of fluid within the scaffold architecture. Indeed, fluid flow modelling revealed that this was of significant importance for controlling the nutrition flow pattern within the scaffold and the bioreactor chamber, avoiding the formation of stagnant flow regions detrimental for in vitro tissue development. The bioreactor/scaffold device was dynamically seeded with human primary osteoblasts and cultured under bi-directional perfusion for two and six weeks. Primary human osteoblasts were observed homogenously distributed throughout the scaffold, and were viable for the six week culture period. This work demonstrates a novel application for additive manufacturing in the development of scaffolds and bioreactors. Given the intrinsic flexibility of the additive manufacturing technology platform developed, more complex culture systems can be fabricated which would contribute to the advances in customized and patient-specific tissue engineering strategies for a wide range of applications.This work was supported by the NHMRC, the Australian Research Council and Hans Fischer Senior Fellowship, IAS-TUM. Pedro Costa acknowledges the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology for his PhD grant (SFRH/BD/62452/2009)

Élaboration et caractérisation de structures tridimensionnelles pour l'ingénierie tissulaire

Tissue engineering is a pluridisciplinary domain aiming at elaborating biological autologous prosthesis. In this strategy, the fabrication of structures, called scaffolds, used for cell culture is necessary. We developed several fabrication techniques of these three-dimensional structures. The first technique (solvent casting/particulate leaching out), involving a polymer solution and spherolized glucose particles, allows the elaboration of scaffolds, owing spherical and well interconnected pores. We showed that the scaffolds are biocompatible and that their mechanical properties in compression can be adjusted. The second technique, electrospinning, leads to the elaboration of biocompatible fibrous membranes whose fiber diameter can be controlled from 800 nm to several micrometers. The third technique of scaffold fabrication proceeds by the elaboration of knitted scaffolds from suture threads. The knitted scaffolds are highly porous and their tensile behavior is similar, in its shape, to the ligaments and tendons stress-strain curves. Using knitting and electrospinning, it has been possible to fabricate knitted scaffolds where aligned microfibers are deposited on their surface. This innovative process allows an easy and efficient cell seeding and we showed that cells are orientated along the fibers, mimicking thus tendons and ligaments morphology. In the future, theses scaffolds will be used in a bioreactor where cyclic traction and torsion will be applied. The aligned microfibers will be able to fully transmit the deformation to the cells, stimulating by this mean the extracellular matrix synthesisL'ingénierie tissulaire est un domaine pluridisciplinaire visant l'élaboration de prothèses biologiques autologues. Dans cette stratégie, la fabrication de structures, appelées scaffolds, utilisées pour la culture cellulaire est nécessaire. Nous avons développé plusieurs méthodes de fabrication de ces structures tridimensionnelles. La première méthode (solvant casting/particulate leaching out) utilisant une solution de polymère et des particules sphérolisées de glucose comme porogène, permet l'obtention de structures possédant des pores sphériques et bien interconnectés. Nous avons montré que ces scaffolds sont biocompatibles et que leurs propriétés mécaniques en compression peuvent être ajustées. La seconde méthode, l'electrospinning, permet la fabrication de membranes fibreuses biocompatibles, dont le diamètre des fibres peut être contrôlé (de 800 nm à plusieurs micromètres). La troisième méthode de fabrication consiste à tricoter des fils de suture, élaborant ainsi des matrices hautement poreuses, dont le comportement en traction est similaire, dans sa forme, à celui d'un tendon ou d'un ligament. En couplant le procédé de tricotage et celui d'electrospinning, il est possible de construire des scaffolds, où des microfibres alignées sont déposées sur la surface des structures tricotées. Ce procédé innovant autorise un ensemencement cellulaire facile et efficace des scaffolds et nous avons montré que les cellules s'orientent spontanément selon la direction des fibres, imitant ainsi la morphologie des tendons et des ligaments. Dans une future utilisation, dans un bioréacteur appliquant de la traction-torsion cyclique, les microfibres vont pouvoir transmettre les déformations aux cellules et stimuler la synthèse de la matrice extracellulair

Elaboration and characterization of three dimensional structures for tissue engineering

L’ingénierie tissulaire est un domaine pluridisciplinaire visant l’élaboration de prothèses biologiques autologues. Dans cette stratégie, la fabrication de structures, appelées scaffolds, utilisées pour la culture cellulaire est nécessaire. Nous avons développé plusieurs méthodes de fabrication de ces structures tridimensionnelles. La première méthode (solvant casting/particulate leaching out) utilisant une solution de polymère et des particules sphérolisées de glucose comme porogène, permet l’obtention de structures possédant des pores sphériques et bien interconnectés. Nous avons montré que ces scaffolds sont biocompatibles et que leurs propriétés mécaniques en compression peuvent être ajustées. La seconde méthode, l’electrospinning, permet la fabrication de membranes fibreuses biocompatibles, dont le diamètre des fibres peut être contrôlé (de 800 nm à plusieurs micromètres). La troisième méthode de fabrication consiste à tricoter des fils de suture, élaborant ainsi des matrices hautement poreuses, dont le comportement en traction est similaire, dans sa forme, à celui d’un tendon ou d’un ligament. En couplant le procédé de tricotage et celui d’electrospinning, il est possible de construire des scaffolds, où des microfibres alignées sont déposées sur la surface des structures tricotées. Ce procédé innovant autorise un ensemencement cellulaire facile et efficace des scaffolds et nous avons montré que les cellules s’orientent spontanément selon la direction des fibres, imitant ainsi la morphologie des tendons et des ligaments. Dans une future utilisation, dans un bioréacteur appliquant de la traction-torsion cyclique, les microfibres vont pouvoir transmettre les déformations aux cellules et stimuler la synthèse de la matrice extracellulaireTissue engineering is a pluridisciplinary domain aiming at elaborating biological autologous prosthesis. In this strategy, the fabrication of structures, called scaffolds, used for cell culture is necessary. We developed several fabrication techniques of these three-dimensional structures. The first technique (solvent casting/particulate leaching out), involving a polymer solution and spherolized glucose particles, allows the elaboration of scaffolds, owing spherical and well interconnected pores. We showed that the scaffolds are biocompatible and that their mechanical properties in compression can be adjusted. The second technique, electrospinning, leads to the elaboration of biocompatible fibrous membranes whose fiber diameter can be controlled from 800 nm to several micrometers. The third technique of scaffold fabrication proceeds by the elaboration of knitted scaffolds from suture threads. The knitted scaffolds are highly porous and their tensile behavior is similar, in its shape, to the ligaments and tendons stress-strain curves. Using knitting and electrospinning, it has been possible to fabricate knitted scaffolds where aligned microfibers are deposited on their surface. This innovative process allows an easy and efficient cell seeding and we showed that cells are orientated along the fibers, mimicking thus tendons and ligaments morphology. In the future, theses scaffolds will be used in a bioreactor where cyclic traction and torsion will be applied. The aligned microfibers will be able to fully transmit the deformation to the cells, stimulating by this mean the extracellular matrix synthesi

Élaboration et caractérisation de structures tridimensionnelles pour l'ingénierie tissulaire

L ingénierie tissulaire est un domaine pluridisciplinaire visant l élaboration de prothèses biologiques autologues. Dans cette stratégie, la fabrication de structures, appelées scaffolds, utilisées pour la culture cellulaire est nécessaire. Nous avons développé plusieurs méthodes de fabrication de ces structures tridimensionnelles. La première méthode (solvant casting/particulate leaching out) utilisant une solution de polymère et des particules sphérolisées de glucose comme porogène, permet l obtention de structures possédant des pores sphériques et bien interconnectés. Nous avons montré que ces scaffolds sont biocompatibles et que leurs propriétés mécaniques en compression peuvent être ajustées. La seconde méthode, l electrospinning, permet la fabrication de membranes fibreuses biocompatibles, dont le diamètre des fibres peut être contrôlé (de 800 nm à plusieurs micromètres). La troisième méthode de fabrication consiste à tricoter des fils de suture, élaborant ainsi des matrices hautement poreuses, dont le comportement en traction est similaire, dans sa forme, à celui d un tendon ou d un ligament. En couplant le procédé de tricotage et celui d electrospinning, il est possible de construire des scaffolds, où des microfibres alignées sont déposées sur la surface des structures tricotées. Ce procédé innovant autorise un ensemencement cellulaire facile et efficace des scaffolds et nous avons montré que les cellules s orientent spontanément selon la direction des fibres, imitant ainsi la morphologie des tendons et des ligaments. Dans une future utilisation, dans un bioréacteur appliquant de la traction-torsion cyclique, les microfibres vont pouvoir transmettre les déformations aux cellules et stimuler la synthèse de la matrice extracellulaireTissue engineering is a pluridisciplinary domain aiming at elaborating biological autologous prosthesis. In this strategy, the fabrication of structures, called scaffolds, used for cell culture is necessary. We developed several fabrication techniques of these three-dimensional structures. The first technique (solvent casting/particulate leaching out), involving a polymer solution and spherolized glucose particles, allows the elaboration of scaffolds, owing spherical and well interconnected pores. We showed that the scaffolds are biocompatible and that their mechanical properties in compression can be adjusted. The second technique, electrospinning, leads to the elaboration of biocompatible fibrous membranes whose fiber diameter can be controlled from 800 nm to several micrometers. The third technique of scaffold fabrication proceeds by the elaboration of knitted scaffolds from suture threads. The knitted scaffolds are highly porous and their tensile behavior is similar, in its shape, to the ligaments and tendons stress-strain curves. Using knitting and electrospinning, it has been possible to fabricate knitted scaffolds where aligned microfibers are deposited on their surface. This innovative process allows an easy and efficient cell seeding and we showed that cells are orientated along the fibers, mimicking thus tendons and ligaments morphology. In the future, theses scaffolds will be used in a bioreactor where cyclic traction and torsion will be applied. The aligned microfibers will be able to fully transmit the deformation to the cells, stimulating by this mean the extracellular matrix synthesisNANCY-INPL-Bib. électronique (545479901) / SudocSudocFranceF

A novel bioreactor for ligament tissue engineering

Bioreactors are defined as devices in which biological and/or biochemical processes develop under closely monitored and tightly controlled environmental and operating conditions (e.g. pH, temperature, mechanical conditions, nutrient supply and waste removal). In functional tissue engineering of musculoskeletal tissues, a bioreactor capable of controlling dynamic loading plays a determinant role. It has been shown that mechanical stretching promotes the expression of type I and III collagens, fibronectin, tenascin-C in cultured ligament fibroblasts (J.C.-H. Goh et al., Tissue Eng. 9 (2003), S31) and that human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSC) – even in the absence of biochemical regulators – could be induced to differentiate into ligament-like fibroblast by the application of physiologically relevant cyclic strains (G. Vunjak-Novakovic et al., Ann. Rev. Biomed. Eng. 6 (2004), 131; H.A. Awad et al., Tissue Eng. 5 (1999), 267; R.G. Young et al., J. Orthop. Res. 16 (1998), 406). Different bioreactors are commercially available but they are too generic to be used for a given tissue, each tissue showing specific mechanical loading properties. In the case of ligament tissue engineering, the design of a bioreactor is still an open question. Our group proposes a bioreactor allowing cyclic traction–torsion on a scaffold seeded with stem cells

Mechanical and biological characterization of a porous poly-L-lactic acid-co-epsilon-caprolactone scaffold for tissue engineering

This article presents a method for making highly porous biodegradable scaffold that may ultimately be used for tissue engineering. Poly(L-lactic-co-1-caprolactone) acid (70:30) (PLCL) scaffold was produced using the solvent casting/leaching out method, which entails dissolving the polymer and adding a porogen that is then leached out by immersing the scaffold in distillated water. Tensile tests were performed for three types of scaffolds, namely pre-wetted, dried, and UV-irradiated scaffolds and their mechanical properties were measured. The prewetted PLCL scaffold possessed a modulus of elasticity 0.92+0.09 MPa, a tensile strength of 0.12+0.03 MPa and an ultimate strain of 23+5.3%. No significant differences in the modulus elasticity, tensile strength, nor ultimate strain were found between the pre-wetted, dried, and UV irradiated scaffolds. The PLCL scaffold was seeded by human fibroblasts in order to evaluate its biocompatibility by Alamar bluew assays. After 10 days of culture, the scaffolds showed good biocompatibility and allowed cell proliferation. However, the fibroblasts stayed essentially at the surface. This study shows the possibility to use the PLCL scaffold in dynamic mechanical conditions for tissue engineerin

Suitability of a PLCL fibrous scaffold for soft tissue engineering applications: A combined biological and mechanical characterisation

International audienc

Additively manufactured biphasic construct loaded with BMP-2 for vertical bone regeneration: a pilot study in rabbit

Vertical bone augmentation of the jaws is required when the height of bone is insufficient at the site of dental implant placement. In this proof of concept study, we investigated the potential of a biphasic polycaprolactone construct combined with a hyaluronic acid based hydrogel loaded with recombinant human bone morphogenetic growth factor-2 (BMP-2) for vertical bone regeneration. The biphasic scaffold consisted of an outer shell manufactured by fused deposition modelling, mimicking native cortical bone and providing mechanical and space maintenance properties essential for bone formation. Within this shell, a 90% porous melt electrospun microfibrous mesh mimicking the architecture of cancellous bone was incorporated in order to facilitate hydrogel loading and subsequent osteogenesis and angiogenesis. The in vitro performances of the biphasic construct demonstrated that BMP-2 was released in a sustained manner over several weeks and that cell viability was maintained in the hydrogel over 21 days. qRT-PCR demonstrated the upregulation of bone markers such as osteopontin, osteocalcin and collagen 1A1 at day 3 and 14 in the constructs loaded with BMP2. In vivo assessment of the biphasic scaffold was performed using a dose of 30 μg of BMP-2 in a rabbit calvarial vertical bone augmentation model. The histology and micro-CT analysis of the elevated space demonstrated that the hydrogel and the presence of BMP-2 enabled bone formation. However, this was limited to the immediate vicinity of the calvarial bone. The amount of newly formed bone was relatively small which was likely due to poor vascularisation of the extraskeletal space. The utilisation of this biomimetic biphasic construct with excellent space maintenance properties can be of interest in dentistry although the in vivo model requires refinement to demonstrated appropriate efficacy

A Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) Knitted Scaffold for Tendon Tissue Engineering: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study

International audienc

Optimization of 3D bioprinting of periodontal ligament cells

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting of cells is an emerging area of research but has been not explored yet in the context of periodontal tissue engineering. Objective: This study reports on the optimisation of the 3D bioprinting of periodontal ligament cells for potential application in periodontal regeneration. Methods: We systematically investigated the printability of various concentrations of gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel precursor using a microextrusion based three-dimensional (3D) printer. The influence of different printing parameters such as photoinitiator concentration, UV exposure, pressure and dispensing needle diameter on the viability of periodontal ligament cells encapsulated within the 3D bioprinted construct were subsequently assessed. Results: This systematic evaluation enabled the selection of the most suited printing conditions for achieving high printing resolution, dimensional stability and cell viability for 3D bioprinting of periodontal ligament cells. Significance: The optimised bioprinting system is the first step towards to the reproducible manufacturing of cell laden, space maintaining scaffolds for the treatment of periodontal lesions