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The development of novel fibrous biomaterials and further processing of medical devices is still challenging. For instance, titanium(IV) oxide is a well-established biocompatible material, and the synthesis of TiOx particles and coatings via the sol-gel process has frequently been published. However, synthesis protocols of sol-gel-derived TiOx fibers are hardly known. In this publication, the authors present a synthesis and fabrication of purely sol-gel-derived TiOx fiber fleeces starting from the liquid sol-gel precursor titanium ethylate (TEOT). Here, the α-hydroxy-carboxylic acid lactic acid (LA) was used as a chelating ligand to reduce the reactivity towards hydrolysis of TEOT enabling a spinnable sol. The resulting fibers were processed into a non-woven fleece, characterized with FTIR, 13C-MAS-NMR, XRD, and screened with regard to their stability in physiological solution. They revealed an unexpected dependency between the LA content and the dissolution behavior. Finally, in vitro cell culture experiments proved their potential suitability as an open-mesh structured scaffold material, even for challenging applications such as therapeutic medicinal products (ATMPs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current implantable electrodes facilitate only a low cellular infiltration impairing the long-term integration into the host's tissue. To accomplish a seamless electronic-tissue interface, conductive three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds were generated by carbonization of electro-spun fiber meshes. When introducing NaCl particles as porogens, tailored tissue-like electrodes were generated. Characterization of the porous 3D fiber electrodes demonstrated improved material and electrical characteristics compared to standard carbon fiber meshes or flat gold surfaces. The feasibility of the porous 3D electrodes was assessed by cell culture experiments, confirming the migration of cells into the electrode and the formation of contracting cardiomyocyte clusters. Finally, a complex cardiac co-culture system proved the integration of the tissue into the 3D electrode in long-term culture of 7 weeks. These results strengthen the development of tissue-like 3D scaffolds as alternative to two-dimensional (2D) electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]