Topographically and Chemically Enhanced Textile Polycaprolactone Scaffolds for Tendon and Ligament Tissue Engineering

Polymers, vol. 16, pp. 488

Abstract

The use of tissue engineering to address the shortcomings of current procedures for tendons and ligaments is promising, but it requires a suitable scaffold that meets various mechanical, degradation-related, scalability-related, and biological requirements. Macroporous textile scaffolds made from appropriate fiber material have the potential to fulfill the first three requirements. This study aimed to investigate the biocompatibility, sterilizability, and functionalizability of a multilayer braided scaffold. These macroporous scaffolds with dimensions similar to those of the human anterior cruciate ligament consist of fibers with appropriate tensile strength and degradation behavior melt-spun from Polycaprolactone (PCL). Two different cross-sectional geometries resulting in significantly different specific surface areas and morphologies were used at the fiber level, and a Chitosan-graft-PCL (CS-g-PCL) surface modification was applied to the melt-spun substrates for the first time. All scaffolds elicited a positive cell response, and the CS-g-PCL modification provided a platform for incorporating functionalization agents such as drug delivery systems for growth factors, which were successfully released in therapeutically effective quantities. The fiber geometry was found to be a variable that could be manipulated to control the amount released. Therefore, scaled, surface-modified textile scaffolds are a versatile technology that can successfully address the complex requirements of tissue engineering for ligaments and tendons, as well as other structures.

Authors 9

1. Benedict Bauer corresponding Aachen Institut für Textiltechnik

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institut für Textiltechnik, RWTH Aachen University, Otto-Blumenthal-Straße 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany

2. Caroline Emonts Aachen Institut für Textiltechnik

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institut für Textiltechnik, RWTH Aachen University, Otto-Blumenthal-Straße 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany

3. Johannes Pitts

   Technische Universität Braunschweig

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Technical Chemistry, Braunschweig University of Technology, Hagenring 30, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany

4. Eva Miriam Buhl Aachen Institute of Pathology, Electron Microscopy Facility

   Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Pathology, Electron Microscopy Facility, RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany

5. Jörg Eschweiler

   University Hospital in Halle · BG Klinikum Bergmannstrost Halle

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, BG Hospital Bergmannstrost, Merseburgerstr. 165, 06112 Halle (Saale), Germany

   Department of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Halle, Ernst-Grube-Str. 40, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany

6. Robert Hänsch

   Technische Universität Braunschweig

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Plant Biology, Braunschweig University of Technology, Humboldtstraße 1, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany

7. Marcel Betsch

   Universitätsklinikum Erlangen

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Erlangen, Krankenhausstr. 12, 91054 Erlangen, Germany

8. Thomas Gries Aachen Institut für Textiltechnik

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institut für Textiltechnik, RWTH Aachen University, Otto-Blumenthal-Straße 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany

9. Henning Menzel corresponding

   Technische Universität Braunschweig

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Technical Chemistry, Braunschweig University of Technology, Hagenring 30, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany

Cited by imported patents 1 (EPO, DOI in their cited literature)

• Textiles dreidimensionales Zellkulturgerüst

  2026 DE102024139605A1 Chemistry & metallurgy

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