IADR Abstract Archives
Manufacture of SLM-Enabled Electrospun Membranes for Bone and Cartilage Repair
Objectives: The possibility of controlling stem cell behaviour offers great opportunities to enhance the repair of damaged tissues. The highly complex behaviour of stem cells is partly influenced by the physical and chemical properties of the local environment where they reside within tissues, known as the stem cell niche. Hypothetically, ‘synthetic niches’ designed to maintain stem cell populations could be manufactured on implantable devices. An innovative manufacturing platform developed at Sheffield allows for the fabrication of membranes exhibiting well-defined surface features by combining electrospinning and collectors made using selective laser melting (SLM). This technology has been tested successfully in corneal repair [1], and it has great promise for other areas of regenerative medicine. The aim of this research was to investigate the manufacture of electrospun membranes containing ‘synthetic niches’ and evaluate their potential use for bone and cartilage repair.
Methods: Patterned stainless steel collectors were designed using CAD software and manufactured using SLM. Poly(caprolactone) was electrospun onto the collectors to produce membranes imprinted with the negative of the collector template. Rat bone marrow and bovine synovial fluid mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) were seeded onto the membranes for 7 days and imaged using electron and fluorescent microscopy. Metabolic activity was measured using PrestoBlue.
Results: The topography of the collectors was reproduced on the electrospun membranes successfully, producing three types of well-defined surface features. MSCs metabolic activity increased over time, suggesting proliferation and good cellular viability. However, no differences were observed between niches. The cells were observed to colonise the features, with differences in fibre orientation potentially affecting cellular alignment and distribution.
Conclusions: Membranes with well-defined surface features were produced successfully. Cellular morphology and distribution were affected by the features, showing that it may be possible to mimic certain physical aspects of the stem cell niche. Thus, this study showed that membranes manufactured using this innovative combination of additive manufacturing and electrospinning are promising candidates for bone and cartilage repair applications.
Methods: Patterned stainless steel collectors were designed using CAD software and manufactured using SLM. Poly(caprolactone) was electrospun onto the collectors to produce membranes imprinted with the negative of the collector template. Rat bone marrow and bovine synovial fluid mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) were seeded onto the membranes for 7 days and imaged using electron and fluorescent microscopy. Metabolic activity was measured using PrestoBlue.
Results: The topography of the collectors was reproduced on the electrospun membranes successfully, producing three types of well-defined surface features. MSCs metabolic activity increased over time, suggesting proliferation and good cellular viability. However, no differences were observed between niches. The cells were observed to colonise the features, with differences in fibre orientation potentially affecting cellular alignment and distribution.
Conclusions: Membranes with well-defined surface features were produced successfully. Cellular morphology and distribution were affected by the features, showing that it may be possible to mimic certain physical aspects of the stem cell niche. Thus, this study showed that membranes manufactured using this innovative combination of additive manufacturing and electrospinning are promising candidates for bone and cartilage repair applications.