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Additive Manufacturing towards the Design of 3D Advanced Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomaterials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 24261

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Roberto De Santis

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Guest Editor

IPCB-CNR Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials – National Research Council of Italy, V.le J.F. Kennedy, 24 Mostra D’Oltremare Pad. 20, 8015 Naples, Italy
Interests: polymer based composites; nanocomposites; additive manufacturing; fused deposition modelling; stereolithography; finite element analysis; bone; dentine; scaffolds; Prostheses
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the current state of the art of additive manufacturing (AM) of scaffolds for soft and hard tissue engineering. The scope is to: (1) summarize the efforts of manufacturing, material design, scaffold design, and scaffold functionalization to accelerate the process of tissue regeneration; (2) discuss the capabilities and limitations of AM; (3) propose potential strategies to improve the field of tissue engineering through AM.

From a technological perspective, the scenario of AM applied to tissue engineering involves a variety of techniques such as fused deposition modeling, stereolithography, selective laser melting/sintering, ink-jet printing, etc. Although several advancements have been achieved, there is scope for considerable engineering innovation to AM of advanced scaffolds.

From a material perspective, degradable, partially degradable, and nondegradable biomaterials which are suitable for AM of scaffolds also designate a wide scenario, further enriched by composite and nanocomposite structures, into which the impact of the material choice is not fully understood, thus suggesting that there is scope for further improvement.

From a biological perspective, cell–material–scaffold interaction plays a fundamental role, and a variety of strategies for scaffold functionalization, including those based on nanotechnology, have been proposed. Functionalization adds another level of complexity to the production of scaffold for tissue engineering. A better understanding of biological behavior is needed to enable the most appropriate functionalization strategy compatible with AM.

Technology, material, and biological behavior need to be simultaneously considered when it comes to AM of scaffolds for tissue engineering.

Prof. Dr. Roberto De Santis
Guest Editor

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Keywords

additive manufacturing
(degradable, partially degradable and non-degradable) scaffolds
nanocomposite
nanostructure
functionalization
hard and soft tissues engineering
reverse engineering
conceptual design
design of experiment

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 4307 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Design of 3D Additively Manufactured Hybrid Structures for Cranioplasty

by Roberto De Santis, Teresa Russo, Julietta V. Rau, Ida Papallo, Massimo Martorelli and Antonio Gloria

Materials 2021, 14(1), 181; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14010181 - 02 Jan 2021

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 4764

Abstract

A wide range of materials has been considered to repair cranial defects. In the field of cranioplasty, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-based bone cements and modifications through the inclusion of copper doped tricalcium phosphate (Cu-TCP) particles have been already investigated. On the other hand, aliphatic polyesters such as poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and polylactic acid (PLA) have been frequently investigated to make scaffolds for cranial bone regeneration. Accordingly, the aim of the current research was to design and fabricate customized hybrid devices for the repair of large cranial defects integrating the reverse engineering approach with additive manufacturing, The hybrid device consisted of a 3D additive manufactured polyester porous structures infiltrated with PMMA/Cu-TCP (97.5/2.5 w/w) bone cement. Temperature profiles were first evaluated for 3D hybrid devices (PCL/PMMA, PLA/PMMA, PCL/PMMA/Cu-TCP and PLA/PMMA/Cu-TCP). Peak temperatures recorded for hybrid PCL/PMMA and PCL/PMMA/Cu-TCP were significantly lower than those found for the PLA-based ones. Virtual and physical models of customized devices for large cranial defect were developed to assess the feasibility of the proposed technical solutions. A theoretical analysis was preliminarily performed on the entire head model trying to simulate severe impact conditions for people with the customized hybrid device (PCL/PMMA/Cu-TCP) (i.e., a rigid sphere impacting the implant region of the head). Results from finite element analysis (FEA) provided information on the different components of the model. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing towards the Design of 3D Advanced Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering)

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11 pages, 4013 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Turning Tissue Waste into High-Performance Microfiber Filters for Oily Wastewater Treatment

by Gaoliang Wei, Jun Dong, Jing Bai, Yongsheng Zhao and Chuanyu Qin

Materials 2020, 13(2), 378; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma13020378 - 14 Jan 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2413

Abstract

Developing low-cost, durable, and high-performance materials for the separation of water/oil mixtures (free oil/water mixtures and emulsions) is critical to wastewater treatment and resource recovery. However, this currently remains a challenge. In this work, we report a biopolymer microfiber assembly, fabricated from the recovery of tissue waste, as a low-cost and high-performance filter for oily wastewater treatment. The microfiber filters demonstrate superhydrophilicity (water contact angle of 28.8°) and underwater superoleophobicity (oil contact angle of 154.2°), and thus can achieve separation efficiencies of >96% for both free oil/water mixtures and surfactant-stabilized emulsions even in highly acidic (pH 2.2)/alkaline (pH 11.8) conditions. Additionally, the prepared microfiber filters possess a much higher resistance to oil fouling than conventional membranes when filtering emulsions, which is because the large-sized 3D interconnected channels of the filters can delay the formation of a low-porosity oil gel layer on their surface. The filters are expected to practically apply for the oily wastewater treatment and reduce the amount of tissue waste entering the environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing towards the Design of 3D Advanced Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering)

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14 pages, 9669 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Parameter Study for 3D-Printing Organized Nanofibrous Collagen Scaffolds Using Direct-Write Electrospinning

by Frank A. Alexander, Jr., Lee Johnson, Krystaufeux Williams and Kyle Packer

Materials 2019, 12(24), 4131; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma12244131 - 10 Dec 2019

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3974

Abstract

Collagen-based scaffolds are gaining more prominence in the field of tissue engineering. However, readily available collagen scaffolds either lack the rigid structure (hydrogels) and/or the organization (biopapers) seen in many organ tissues, such as the cornea and meniscus. Direct-write electrospinning is a promising potential additive manufacturing technique for constructing highly ordered fibrous scaffolds for tissue engineering and foundational studies in cellular behavior, but requires specific process parameters (voltage, relative humidity, solvent) in order to produce organized structures depending on the polymer chosen. To date, no work has been done to optimize direct-write electrospinning parameters for use with pure collagen. In this work, a custom electrospinning 3D printer was constructed to derive optimal direct write electrospinning parameters (voltage, relative humidity and acetic acid concentrations) for pure collagen. A LabVIEW program was built to automate control of the print stage. Relative humidity and electrospinning current were monitored in real-time to determine the impact on fiber morphology. Fiber orientation was analyzed via a newly defined parameter (spin quality ratio (SQR)). Finally, tensile tests were performed on electrospun fibrous mats as a proof of concept. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing towards the Design of 3D Advanced Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering)

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10 pages, 1885 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Facile Method to Fabricate Anisotropic Extracellular Matrix with 3D Printing Topological Microfibers

by Zhen Gu, Zili Gao, Wenli Liu, Yongqiang Wen and Qi Gu

Materials 2019, 12(23), 3944; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma12233944 - 28 Nov 2019

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2695

Abstract

Natural tissues and organs have different requirements regarding the mechanical characteristics of response. It is still a challenge to achieve biomaterials with anisotropic mechanical properties using an extracellular matrix with biological activity. We have improved the ductility and modulus of the gelatin matrix using 3D printed gelatin microfibers with different concentrations and topologies and, at the same, time achieved anisotropic mechanical properties. We successfully printed flat microfibers using partially cross-linked gelatin. We modified the 10% (w/v) gelatin matrix with microfibers consisting of a gelatin concentration of 14% (w/v), increasing the modulus to about three times and the elongation at break by 39% in parallel with the fiber direction. At the same time, it is found that the microfiber topology can effectively change the matrix ductility, and changing the modulus of the gelatin used in the microfiber can effectively change the matrix modulus. These findings provide a simple method for obtaining active biological materials that are closer to a physiological environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing towards the Design of 3D Advanced Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering)

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Review

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46 pages, 6139 KiB

Open AccessReview

Advances in Biodegradable 3D Printed Scaffolds with Carbon-Based Nanomaterials for Bone Regeneration

by Sara Lopez de Armentia, Juan Carlos del Real, Eva Paz and Nicholas Dunne

Materials 2020, 13(22), 5083; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma13225083 - 11 Nov 2020

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3950

Abstract

Bone possesses an inherent capacity to fix itself. However, when a defect larger than a critical size appears, external solutions must be applied. Traditionally, an autograft has been the most used solution in these situations. However, it presents some issues such as donor-site morbidity. In this context, porous biodegradable scaffolds have emerged as an interesting solution. They act as external support for cell growth and degrade when the defect is repaired. For an adequate performance, these scaffolds must meet specific requirements: biocompatibility, interconnected porosity, mechanical properties and biodegradability. To obtain the required porosity, many methods have conventionally been used (e.g., electrospinning, freeze-drying and salt-leaching). However, from the development of additive manufacturing methods a promising solution for this application has been proposed since such methods allow the complete customisation and control of scaffold geometry and porosity. Furthermore, carbon-based nanomaterials present the potential to impart osteoconductivity and antimicrobial properties and reinforce the matrix from a mechanical perspective. These properties make them ideal for use as nanomaterials to improve the properties and performance of scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. This work explores the potential research opportunities and challenges of 3D printed biodegradable composite-based scaffolds containing carbon-based nanomaterials for bone tissue engineering applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing towards the Design of 3D Advanced Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering)

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20 pages, 1477 KiB

Open AccessReview

Cell Bioprinting: The 3D-Bioplotter™ Case

by David Angelats Lobo and Paola Ginestra

Materials 2019, 12(23), 4005; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma12234005 - 02 Dec 2019

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5766

Abstract

The classic cell culture involves the use of support in two dimensions, such as a well plate or a Petri dish, that allows the culture of different types of cells. However, this technique does not mimic the natural microenvironment where the cells are exposed to. To solve that, three-dimensional bioprinting techniques were implemented, which involves the use of biopolymers and/or synthetic materials and cells. Because of a lack of information between data sources, the objective of this review paper is, to sum up, all the available information on the topic of bioprinting and to help researchers with the problematics with 3D bioprinters, such as the 3D-Bioplotter™. The 3D-Bioplotter™ has been used in the pre-clinical field since 2000 and could allow the printing of more than one material at the same time, and therefore to increase the complexity of the 3D structure manufactured. It is also very precise with maximum flexibility and a user-friendly and stable software that allows the optimization of the bioprinting process on the technological point of view. Different applications have resulted from the research on this field, mainly focused on regenerative medicine, but the lack of information and/or the possible misunderstandings between papers makes the reproducibility of the tests difficult. Nowadays, the 3D Bioprinting is evolving into another technology called 4D Bioprinting, which promises to be the next step in the bioprinting field and might promote great applications in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing towards the Design of 3D Advanced Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering)

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