title: Biofunctionalized ceramic with self-assembled networks of nanochannels.
abstract: Nature designs circulatory systems with hierarchically organized networks of gradually tapered channels ranging from micrometer to nanometer in diameter. In most hard tissues in biological systems, fluid, gases, nutrients and wastes are constantly exchanged through such networks. Here, we developed a biologically inspired, hierarchically organized structure in ceramic to achieve effective permeation with minimum void region, using fabrication methods that create a long-range, highly interconnected nanochannel system in a ceramic biomaterial. This design of a synthetic model-material was implemented through a novel pressurized sintering process formulated to induce a gradual tapering in channel diameter based on pressure-dependent polymer agglomeration. The resulting system allows long-range, efficient transport of fluid and nutrients into sites and interfaces that conventional fluid conduction cannot reach without external force. We demonstrate the ability of mammalian bone-forming cells placed at the distal transport termination of the nanochannel system to proliferate in a manner dependent solely upon the supply of media by the self-powering nanochannels. This approach mimics the significant contribution that nanochannel transport plays in maintaining living hard tissues by providing nutrient supply that facilitates cell growth and differentiation, and thereby makes the ceramic composite "alive".
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Hae Lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Keunho
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Chan Soon
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Kyoung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo-Yong
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Hui-Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Sunghak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Seul Cham
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoungsuk
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Jimin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae-Youl
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Seon Ae
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Heung Nam
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyu Hwan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: ‡Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University, Bundang Hospital, Seoul, 463-707, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: §Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, POSTECH, Pohang, 790-784, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Kug Sun
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: ⊥Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033, United States.
authors.forename: Malcolm L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Snead
authors.affiliation: ∥School of Engineering and Department of Physics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
authors.forename: Jimmy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: †Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki Tae
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Nam
mesh_terms: D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002516:Ceramics / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011092:Polyethylene Glycols
keywords: bioinspired; ceramics; fluid transports; hierarchical structures; nanochannels; polymer agglomeration; pressure gradient sintering
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