title: Cell compatible encapsulation of filaments into 3D hydrogels.
abstract: Tissue engineering scaffolds for nerve regeneration, or artificial nerve conduits, are particularly challenging due to the high level of complexity the structure of the nerve presents. The list of requirements for artificial nerve conduits is long and includes the ability to physically guide nerve growth using physical and chemical cues as well as electrical stimulation. Combining these characteristics into a conduit, while maintaining biocompatibility and biodegradability, has not been satisfactorily achieved by currently employed fabrication techniques. Here we present a method combining pultrusion and wet-spinning techniques facilitating incorporation of pre-formed filaments into ionically crosslinkable hydrogels. This new biofabrication technique allows the incorporation of conducting or drug-laden filaments, controlled guidance channels and living cells into hydrogels, creating new improved conduit designs.
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre for Electromaterials Science, Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Katharina S U
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Schirmer
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gorkin
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beirne
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Brianna C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Anita F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Quigley
authors.forename: Robert M I
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Kapsa
authors.forename: Gordon G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D016716:PC12 Cells; D051381:Rats; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000295:instrumentation*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020100:Hydrogels; D020723:Glucuronic Acid