title: The mechanically enhanced phase separation of sprayed polyurethane scaffolds and their effect on the alignment of fibroblasts.
abstract: This paper reports a method to fabricate anisotropic scaffolds of tunable porosity and mechanical properties. Scaffolds were fabricated using a computer controlled sprayed phase separation technique. Following fabrication, the sheets were elongated 0, 35 or 70% of their original length to induce varying degrees of scaffold alignment and anisotropy. The nonsolvent used in the phase separation was shown to affect porosity and the elastic modulus. Mouse embryo NIH-3T3 fibroblasts were cultured on the scaffolds to investigate cell response to the anisotropy of the scaffold. A 2D FFT method was used to quantify cellular alignment. Cells were shown to align themselves with the scaffold. This sheet-like scaffold material can be used in single plys or can be laminated to form porous 3D composite scaffolds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of Utah, 20 S 2030 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Sean P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: McCandless
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lasher
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Hitchcock
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000042:Absorption; D000818:Animals; D016880:Anisotropy; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D016764:Cell Polarity; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D005740:Gases / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D010316:Particle Size; D044367:Phase Transition; D011140:Polyurethanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D016062:Porosity; D013499:Surface Properties; D013718:Tensile Strength; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005740:Gases; D011140:Polyurethanes