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Tissue engineering aims to develop in-vitro substitutes of native tissues. One approach of tissue engineering relies on using bioreactors combined with biomimetic scaffolds to produce study models or in-vitro substitutes. Bioreactors provide control over environmental parameters, place and hold a scaffold under desired characteristics, and apply mechanical stimulation to scaffolds. Polymers are often used for fabricating tissue-engineering scaffolds. In this study, polycaprolactone (PCL) collagen-coated microfilament scaffolds were cell-seeded with C2C12 myoblasts; then, these were grown inside a custom-built bioreactor. Cell attachment and proliferation on the scaffolds were investigated. A loading pattern was used for mechanical stimulation of the cell-seeded scaffolds. Results showed that the microfilaments provided a suitable scaffold for myoblast anchorage and that the custom-built bioreactor provided a qualified environment for the survival of the myoblasts on the polymeric scaffold. This PCL-based microfilament scaffold located inside the bioreactor proved to be a promising structure for the study of skeletal muscle models and can be used for mechanical stimulation studies in tissue engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An appropriate and reliable sterilization technique is crucial for tissue engineering scaffolds. Skeletal muscle scaffolds are often fabricated using microfilaments of a wide variety of polymers. One method for sterilization is 25 kGy of gamma irradiation. In addition, sterilization through irradiation should administer a dose within a specific range. Radiation directly affects the chemical and mechanical properties of scaffolds. The accuracy and effects of irradiation are often not considered during sterilization procedures; however, these are important since they provide insight on whether the sterilization procedure is reliable and reproducible. This study focused on the chemical and mechanical characterization of 25 kGy gamma-irradiated scaffold. The accuracy and uncertainty of the irradiation procedure were also obtained. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses were performed to determine whether the crystallinity of the polymer changed after irradiation and whether gamma rays influenced its thermal properties. The tensile parameters of the microfilaments were analyzed by comparing irradiated and nonirradiated scaffolds to determine whether gamma radiation changed their elastic behavior. Dose distribution and uncertainty were recorded with several dosimeters. The results showed that the irradiation process slightly affected the mechanical parameters of the scaffold; however, it did not modify its crystallinity or thermal properties. The irradiation was uniform, since the measured uncertainty was low. The scaffold was pathogen-free after 7 days; this meant sterilization was achieved. These results indicated that gamma-sterilized scaffolds were a promising material for use as a skeletal muscle analog material for tissue-engineering applications because they can be sterilized with gamma rays without changing their chemical structure and mechanical properties. This study provided the dose distribution measurement and uncertainty calculations for the sterilization procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]