Electrospun fibrous scaffolds with multiscale and photopatterned porosity.
The structural and mechanical properties of tissue engineered environments are crucial for successful cellular growth and tissue repair. Electrospinning is gaining wide attention for the fabrication of tissue engineered scaffolds, but the small pore sizes of these scaffolds limit cell infiltration and construct vascularization. To address this problem, we have combined electrospinning with photopatterning to create multiscale porous scaffolds. This process retains the fibrous nature of the scaffolds and permits enhanced cellular infiltration and vascularization when compared to unpatterned scaffolds. This is the first time that photopatterning has been utilized with electrospun scaffolds and is only now possible with the electrospinning of reactive macromers.
Sundararaghavan
Harini G
HG
University of Pennsylvania, Department of Bioengineering, 210 S 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Metter
Robert B
RB
Burdick
Jason A
JA
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D020007:Implants, Experimental; D008027:Light; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D016062:Porosity / Q000528:radiation effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
D006820:Hyaluronic Acid