Microfluidic chip-based fabrication of PLGA microfiber scaffolds for tissue engineering.
In this paper, we have developed a method to produce poly(lactic- co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microfibers within a microfluidic chip for the generation of 3D tissue engineering scaffolds. The synthesis of PLGA fibers was achieved by using a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microfluidic spinning device in which linear streams of PLGA dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) were precipitated in a glycerol-containing water solution. By changing the flow rate of PLGA solution from 1 to 50 microL/min with a sheath flow rate of 250 or 1000 microL/min, fibers were formed with diameters that ranged from 20 to 230 microm. The PLGA fibers were comprised of a dense outer surface and a highly porous interior. To evaluate the applicability of PLGA microfibers generated in this process as a cell culture scaffold, L929 fibroblasts were seeded on the PLGA fibers either as-fabricated or coated with fibronectin. L929 fibroblasts showed no significant difference in proliferation on both PLGA microfibers after 5 days of culture. As a test for application as nerve guide, neural progenitor cells were cultured and the neural axons elongated along the PLGA microfibers. Thus our experiments suggest that microfluidic chip-based PLGA microfiber fabrication may be useful for 3D cell culture tissue engineering applications.
Hwang
Chang Mo
CM
Korea Artificial Organ Center, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Korea University, Seoul 136-705, Republic of Korea.
Khademhosseini
Ali
A
Park
Yongdoo
Y
Sun
Kyung
K
Lee
Sang-Hoon
SH
D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000379:methods*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid