title: Fabrication of precision scaffolds using liquid-frozen deposition manufacturing for cartilage tissue engineering.
abstract: The fused deposition manufacturing (FDM) system has been used to fabricate tissue-engineered scaffolds with highly interconnecting and controllable pore structure, although the system is limited to a few materials. For this reason, the liquid-frozen deposition manufacturing (LFDM) system based on an improvement of the FDM process was developed. Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) precision scaffolds were fabricated using LFDM from PLGA solutions of different concentrations. A greater concentration of PLGA solution resulted in greater mechanical strength but also resulted in less water content and smaller pore size on the surface of the scaffolds. LFDM scaffolds in general had mechanical strength closer to that of native articular cartilage than did FDM scaffolds. Neocartilage formation was observed in LFDM scaffolds seeded with porcine articular chondrocytes after 28 days of culture. Chondrocytes in LFDM scaffolds made from low concentrations (15-20%) of PLGA solution maintained a round shape, proliferated well, and secreted abundant extracellular matrix. In contrast, the FDM PLGA scaffolds had low cell numbers and poor matrix production because of heavy swelling. The LFDM system offered a useful way to fabricate scaffolds for cartilage tissue-engineering applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hung-Jen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.forename: Shan-Hui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Ching-Shiow
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Jen-Po
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ching-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000254:growth & development / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology; D002452:Cell Count; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D048430:Cell Shape; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology; D005615:Freezing; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D013552:Swine; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D003094:Collagen