Biopolymer-Based Biomimetic Scaffolds II

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Circular and Green Polymer Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2024 | Viewed by 1100

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INEB-NEWTherapies Group, Laboratório Associado IBMC-INEB Rua do Campo Alegre, 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal
Interests: materials science; biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology engineering; chemical engineering
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Department of Management, Information and Production Engineering, Università degli Studi di Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
Interests: biomaterials for tissue engineering; organ-on-chip; lung toxicology; kidney tissue engineering
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As is widely known, tissue engineering offers a unique alternative to current clinical treatments. To develop a complex living tissue replacement, concerted efforts must be focused on creating extracellular matrix-mimicking biomaterials that encourage interactions with host cells to unlock the body’s innate powers of organization and self-repair.

There are several technologies available for the fabrication of biomimetic scaffolds that focus on the use of a substance innately able (or engineered) to assume a desirable form that can be applied to both synthesize a 3D cellular microenvironment for cell accommodation and guide new tissue formation. Moreover, the identification of a material able to maintain its structure and integrity for predictable periods can ensure new tissue formation and maturation. Among the materials used in tissue engineering, naturally occurring biopolymers are often chosen as they show high biocompatibility, a favorable pro-remodeling host immune response, and an instructive microenvironment for tissue remodeling. Their ability to mimic the chemical properties of the native extracellular matrix represents a great advantage that enables the fabrication of biomimetic scaffolds for the evaluation of cellular responses to material cues, providing tools for the in vitro modeling of diseases and the treatment of patients using precision medicine.

This Special Issue will present recent research (original research papers, review articles, and short communications) that focuses on the development and characterization of innovative biomimetic scaffolds made of naturally occurring polymers which are used to recapitulate tissue formation and repair mechanisms within a 3D functional microenvironment.

Dr. Sílvia J. Bidarra
Dr. Chiara Emma Campiglio
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • natural polymers
  • biomaterials
  • biomimetic structure
  • scaffold
  • tissue engineering
  • biopolymer
  • biocompatibility
  • cell–material interaction

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 7646 KiB  
Article
Impact of Composition and Autoclave Sterilization on the Mechanical and Biological Properties of ECM-Mimicking Cryogels
by Laura Di Muzio, Susi Zara, Amelia Cataldi, Claudia Sergi, Vito Cosimo Carriero, Barbara Bigi, Simone Carradori, Jacopo Tirillò, Stefania Petralito, Maria Antonietta Casadei and Patrizia Paolicelli
Polymers 2024, 16(13), 1939; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16131939 - 7 Jul 2024
Viewed by 689
Abstract
Cryogels represent a valid strategy as scaffolds for tissue engineering. In order to adequately support adhesion and proliferation of anchorage-dependent cells, different polymers need to be combined within the same scaffold trying to mimic the complex features of a natural extracellular matrix (ECM). [...] Read more.
Cryogels represent a valid strategy as scaffolds for tissue engineering. In order to adequately support adhesion and proliferation of anchorage-dependent cells, different polymers need to be combined within the same scaffold trying to mimic the complex features of a natural extracellular matrix (ECM). For this reason, in this work, gelatin (Gel) and chondroitin sulfate (CS), both functionalized with methacrylic groups to produce CSMA and GelMA derivatives, were selected to prepare cryogel networks. Both homopolymer and heteropolymer cryogels were produced, via radical crosslinking reactions carried out at −12 °C for 2 h. All the scaffolds were characterized for their mechanical, swelling and morphological properties, before and after autoclave sterilization. Moreover, they were evaluated for their biocompatibility and ability to support the adhesion of human gingival fibroblasts and tenocytes. GelMA-based homopolymer networks better withstood the autoclave sterilization process, compared to CSMA cryogels. Indeed, GelMA cryogels showed a decrease in stiffness of approximately 30%, whereas CSMA cryogels of approximately 80%. When GelMA and CSMA were blended in the same network, an intermediate outcome was observed. However, the hybrid scaffolds showed a general worsening of the biological performance. Indeed, despite their ability to withstand autoclave sterilization with limited modification of the mechanical and morphological properties, the hybrid cryogels exhibited poor cell adhesion and high LDH leakage. Therefore, not only do network components need to be properly selected, but also their combination and ability to withstand effective sterilization process should be carefully evaluated for the development of efficient scaffolds designed for tissue engineering purposes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymer-Based Biomimetic Scaffolds II)
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