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A porous scaffold was prepared by gelatin groove fibers for cartilage tissue engineering. The morphology of groove fibers and porous scaffolds were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The water absorption property of scaffolds was tested which demonstrated values as high as 1187%. The compressive mechanical property of scaffolds was also evaluated. In wet state, this scaffold exhibited elastic behaviour, and could bear 100 cycles compressive fatigue test. Moreover, this scaffold could promote rat chondrocyte and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) proliferation. The findings indicate that such scaffold could be valuable candidates for cartilage tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrospinning is a versatile and convenient technology to generate nanofibers suitable for tissue engineering. However, the low production rate of traditional needle electrospinning hinders its applications. Needleless electrospinning is a potential strategy to promote the application of electrospun nanofiber in various fields. In this study, disc-electrospinning (one kind of needleless electrospinning) was conducted to produce poly(ε-caprolactone)/gelatin (PCL/GT) scaffolds of different structure, namely the nanoscale structure constructed by nanofiber and multiscale structure consisting of nanofiber and microfiber. It was found that, due to the inhomogeneity of PCL/GT solution, disc-electrospun PCL-GT scaffold presented multiscale structure with larger pores than that of the acid assisted one (PCL-GT-A). Scanning electron microscopy images indicated the PCL-GT scaffold was constructed by nanofibers and microfibers. Mouse fibroblasts and rat bone marrow stromal cells both showed higher proliferation rates on multiscale scaffold than nanoscale scaffolds. It was proposed that the nanofibers bridged between the microfibers enhanced cell adhesion and spreading, while the large pores on the three dimensional (3D) PCL-GT scaffold provide more effective space for cells to proliferate and migrate. However, the uniform nanofibers and densely packed structure in PCL-GT-A scaffold limited the cells on the surface. This study demonstrated the potential of disc-electrospun PCL-GT scaffold containing nanofiber and microfiber for 3D tissue regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cartilage decellularized matrix (CDM) is processed into inks for 3D printing. • CDM-based scaffolds with controlled 3D shape and pore structure are obtained. • Fibers can improve the mechanical property of 3D-printed CDM scaffolds. • 3D-printed fiber-reinforced CDM scaffolds exhibit elasticity in wet condition. • Fiber-reinforced CDM scaffolds can repair articular cartilage defects in rabbits. Cartilage decellularized matrix (CDM) is considered a promising biomaterial for fabricating cartilage tissue engineering scaffolds. An ideal CDM-based scaffold should possess customizable 3D shape for complex tissue regeneration and proper pore size for cell infiltration, as well as provide mechanical support for cell growth. 3D printing is an efficiently technique for preparing customizable 3D scaffolds, however, fabricating CDM-based 3D-printed scaffolds with customizable shapes, proper pore structure and satisfactory mechanical properties remains a challenge. In the current study, to achieve customizable CDM-based 3D scaffolds, CDM was successfully processed into inks suitable for 3D printing. Further, the poor mechanics of CDM-based scaffolds were significantly improved by adding electrospinning fiber into the CDM-based inks for 3D printing. Importantly, the 3D-printed electrospinning fiber-reinforced CDM-based scaffold presented good biocompatibility and can enhance repair articular cartilage defects in rabbits. The current study provides a novel strategy for printing electrospinning fiber-reinforced CDM-based scaffolds for tissue regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) electrospun fibrous scaffolds with customizable shapes and large pores is a challenging task. In this study, for the first time, one-dimensional (1D) gelatin/poly (lactic- co -glycolic acid) (PLGA) electrospun fibers were processed into inks suitable for 3D printing. By combining 3D printing and freeze drying, electrospun fiber-based inks were successfully fabricated into 3D-printed scaffolds (3DP) with precisely controlled shapes and large pores, in addition to fibrous surface morphologies similar to that of a native extracellular matrix (ECM). The 3DP exhibited good elasticity and water-induced shape memory, and was found to be superior to 3D-printed scaffolds fabricated using pure gelatin fibers and freeze-shaped scaffolds fabricated using non-fibrous gelatin/PLGA powder. Moreover, 3DP combined with chondrocytes achieved satisfactory cartilage regeneration in vivo. The novel strategy of 3D printing electrospun fibers established in this study provides a research model for the design and fabrication of multiple scaffolds for various tissue regeneration applications. Unlabelled Image • Electrospun fibers were processed into three-dimensional inks for the first time. • Fiber scaffolds with controlled shapes and large pores were successfully fabricated. • Three-dimensional printed fiber scaffolds exhibited elastic property in the wet condition. • Three-dimensional fiber scaffolds combined with chondrocytes achieved satisfactory cartilage regeneration in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An electrospun-aligned nanoyarn-reinforced nanofibrous scaffold (NRS) was developed for tendon tissue engineering to improve mechanical strength and cell infiltration. The novel scaffold composed of aligned nanoyarns and random nanofibers was fabricated via electrospinning using a two-collector system. The aim of the present study was to investigate three different types of electrospun scaffolds (random nanofibrous scaffold, aligned nanofibrous scaffold and NRS) based on silk fibroin (SF) and poly( l -lactide- co -caprolactone) blends. Morphological analysis demonstrated that the NRS composed of aligned nanoyarns and randomly distributed nanofibers formed a 3D microstructure with relatively large pore sizes and high porosity. Biocompatibility analysis revealed that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells exhibited a higher proliferation rate when cultured on the NRS compared with the other scaffolds. The mechanical testing results indicated that the tensile properties of the NRS were reinforced in the direction parallel to the nanoyarns and satisfied the mechanical requirements for tendon repair. In addition, cell infiltration was significantly enhanced on the NRS. In conclusion, with its improved porosity and appropriate mechanical properties, the developed NRS shows promise for tendon tissue engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Tissue scaffolds with three-dimensional (3D) nanofibrous biomimetic structures have attracted attention in the field of bone regeneration. In recent years, emerging strategies based on electrospinning technologies have facilitated the preparation of 3D nanofibrous scaffolds. Based on these developments, in this study, 3D scaffolds possessing both nanofibrous morphologies and interconnected pores were fabricated for their potential in bone tissue engineering. By combining homogenizing, freeze-drying, and thermal crosslinking techniques, nano-hydroxyapatite/PLLA/gelatin (nHA/PLA/GEL) 3D nanofibrous scaffolds were prepared using pre-fabricated electrospun nanofibers. Then, utilizing a polydopamine (pDA)-assisted coating strategy, bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2)-derived peptides were further immobilized onto the 3D scaffolds to obtain the resulting nano-hydroxyapatite/PLLA/gelatin-peptide (nHA/PLA/GEL-PEP) 3D nanofibrous scaffolds capable of sustained release. Bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were cultured on the 3D nanofibrous scaffolds, then relative cell viability, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and gene expression assays were performed to study the effects of the scaffolds on cell growth and osteogenic differentiation in vitro. Furthermore, the ability of bone formation in vivo was evaluated using a rat cranial bone defect model. In vitro and in vivo results demonstrated that the 3D nanofibrous scaffolds incorporated with nHA and BMP-2 peptides exhibited favorable biocompatibility and osteoinductivity. Therefore, these nanofibrous scaffolds have excellent potential in bone regenerative medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrospinning has been widely used in fabrication of tissue engineering scaffolds. Currently, most of the electrospun nanofibers performed like a conventional two-dimensional (2D) membrane, which hindered their further applications. Moreover, the low production rate of the traditional needle-electrospinning (NE) also limited the commercialization. In this article, disc-electrospinning (DE) was utilized to fabricate a three-dimensional (3D) scaffold consisting of porous macro/nanoscale fibers. The morphology of the porous structure was investigated by scanning electron microscopy images, which showed irregular pores of nanoscale spreading on the surface of DE polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers. Protein adsorption assessment illustrated the porous structure could significantly enhance proteins pickup, which was 55% higher than that of solid fiber scaffolds. Fibroblasts were cultured on the scaffold. The results demonstrated that DE fiber scaffold could enhance initial cell attachment. In the 7 days of culture, fibroblasts grew faster on DE fiber scaffold in comparison with solid fiber, solvent cast (SC) film and TCP. Fibroblasts on DE fibers showed a stretched shape and integrated with the porous surface tightly. Cells were also found to migrate into the DE scaffold up to 800 μm. Results supported the use of DE PCL fibers as a 3D tissue engineering scaffold in soft tissue regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cartilage decellularized matrix was processed into hydrogel (CDEM-pHA). • CDEM-pHA was injectable and photo-crosslinkable. • CDEM-pHA combined with chondrocytes formed mature cartilage in vivo. Cartilage decellularized extracellular matrix (CDEM) is a promising biomaterial for preparing tissue engineering scaffolds, and CDEM-based hydrogels constitute an ideal choice for repairing cartilage damage. In this study, CDEM powders and photo-responsive hyaluronic acid (pHA) were successfully fabricated into injectable and photo-crosslinkable hydrogel (CDEM-pHA). The rheological properties of CDEM-pHA indicated that CDEM-pHA exhibited shear-thinning behavior, and the storage modulus of the hydrogel increased with increasing UV irradiation. Chondrocytes were loaded into CDEM-pHA and implanted into the subcutaneous tissue of nude mice for eight weeks; the results indicated that CDEM-pHA combined with chondrocytes successfully regenerated mature cartilage in vivo. This study established a novel strategy for preparing CDEM-based hydrogel for cartilage regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]