Cell Guiding Multicomponent Nanoyarn Tendon Scaffolds with Tunable Morphology and Flexibility

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, vol. 15, pp. 42241–42250

Abstract

Nanofibrous scaffolds are widely investigated for tendon tissue engineering due to their porous structure, high flexibility, and the ability to guide cells in a preferred direction. Previous research has shown that providing a microenvironment similar to in vivo settings improves tissue regeneration. Therefore, in this work, ingenious multicomponent nanoyarn scaffolds that mimic the fibrillar and tubular structures of tendons are developed for the first time through electrospinning and bundling nanoyarns followed by electrospinning of a nanofibrous shell around the bundle. Multicomponent nanoyarn scaffolds out of poly(ε-caprolactone) with varying porosity, density, and diameter were successfully produced by coelectrospinning with water-soluble poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) as a sacrificial component. The diameter and fiber orientation of the nanoyarns were successfully tuned based on parameter-morphology models obtained by the design of experiments. Cyclic bending tests were performed, indicating that the flexibility of the multicomponent nanoyarn scaffolds depends on the morphology and can be tuned through controlling the number of nanoyarns in the bundle and the porosity. Indirect and direct cell culture tests using mouse and equine tendon cells revealed excellent cytocompatibility of the nanofibrous products and demonstrated the potential of the nanoyarns to guide the growing cells along the nanofiber direction, which is crucial for tendon tissue engineering.

Authors 12

1. Lucas Schynkel

   Ghent University

   Affiliation as printed

   Centre for Textile Science and Engineering, Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Tech Lane Science Park 70A, 9052 Ghent, Belgium

2. Marguerite Meeremans

   Ghent University

   Affiliation as printed

   Veterinary Stem Cell Research Unit, Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium

3. Anna A. Meyer Aachen DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstrasse. 50, 52074 Aachen, Germany

   Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry (ITMC), RWTH University Aachen, Worringerweg 2, 52074 Aachen ,Germany

4. Ella Schoolaert

   Ghent University

   Affiliation as printed

   Centre for Textile Science and Engineering, Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Tech Lane Science Park 70A, 9052 Ghent, Belgium

5. Jozefien Geltmeyer

   Ghent University

   Affiliation as printed

   Centre for Textile Science and Engineering, Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Tech Lane Science Park 70A, 9052 Ghent, Belgium

6. Abdolrahman Omidinia‐Anarkoli Aachen DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstrasse. 50, 52074 Aachen, Germany

7. Sandra Van Vlierberghe

   Ghent University

   Affiliation as printed

   Polymer Chemistry & Biomaterials Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 − Building S4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium

8. Lode Daelemans

   Ghent University

   Affiliation as printed

   Centre for Textile Science and Engineering, Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Tech Lane Science Park 70A, 9052 Ghent, Belgium

9. Laura De Laporte Aachen Advanced Materials for Biomedicine (AMB) Institute of Applied Medical Engineering Center for Biohybrid Medical Systems (CBMS) DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials · Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Advanced Materials for Biomedicine (AMB), Institute of Applied Medical Engineering (AME), Center for Biohybrid Medical Systems (CBMS), University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Forckenbeckstrasse 55, 52074 Aachen ,Germany

   DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstrasse. 50, 52074 Aachen, Germany

   Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry (ITMC), RWTH University Aachen, Worringerweg 2, 52074 Aachen ,Germany

10. Catharina De Schauwer

    Ghent University

    Affiliation as printed

    Veterinary Stem Cell Research Unit, Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium

11. Richard Hoogenboom

    Ghent University

    Affiliation as printed

    Supramolecular Chemistry Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 − Building S4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium

12. Karen De Clerck corresponding

    Ghent University

    Affiliation as printed

    Centre for Textile Science and Engineering, Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Tech Lane Science Park 70A, 9052 Ghent, Belgium