Fabrication of a new tubular fibrous PLCL scaffold for vascular tissue engineering

J Biomater Sci Polym Ed. 2006;17(12):1359-74. doi: 10.1163/156856206778937244.

Abstract

Biodegradable macroporous scaffolds have been developed for tissue-engineering applications. We fabricated and characterized a new tubular, macroporous, fibrous scaffold using a very elastic biodegradable co-polymer, poly(L-lactide-co-caprolactone) (PLCL, 5:5) in a gel-spinning process. A viscous PLCL solution was spun as a gel-phase under swirl-flow conditions and was subsequently fabricated to produce a tubular fibrous scaffold on a rotating cylindrical shaft in a methanol solution. The porosity and median pore size of the fibrous PLCL scaffolds were 55-75% and 120-150 microm, respectively, using a 5-10% PLCL solution. The use of a 7.5% (w/v) solution resulted in scaffolds with tensile strength and elastic modulus of 3.39 MPa and 1.22 MPa, respectively. The scaffolds exhibited 500-600% elongation-at-break. The tensile strength and modulus of fibrous PLCL scaffolds were proven to decrease on lowering the concentration of the PLCL spinning solution; however, the tensile strength and modulus of fibrous PLCL scaffolds, produced from 5% solutions, are approximately 4- and 5-times higher than those of extruded PLCL scaffolds. These properties indicated that the fibrous PLCL scaffolds were very elastic and mechanically strong. The scaffolds appeared to be well inter-connected between the pores as determined by SEM imaging analysis. In addition, the cell-seeding efficiency was 2-fold higher using gel-spun scaffolds than using extruded scaffolds. These results suggest that the gel-spun fibrous PLCL scaffold is an excellent matrix for vascular tissue-engineering applications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Endothelium, Vascular / cytology*
  • Gels
  • Humans
  • Polyesters*
  • Porosity
  • Tissue Engineering / methods*

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Gels
  • Polyesters
  • lactide-caprolactone copolymer