Biofabrication of cartilage particulate microtissues laden hyaluronan tissue engineered constructs (SSSTC EG 08-122016)

Background

In this project, we optimized the production of electrosprayed human bone marrow stromal cell (hBMSCs)–embedded alginate–gelatin (Alg-Gel,) microspheres for the purpose of their assembly in a 3D-printed poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffold for the fabrication of a mechanically stable and biological supportive tissue engineering cartilage construct. Optimization of hBMSC-embedded Alg-Gel microspheres produced by electrospray has been performed (Figure). The Alg-Gel composition selected allowed the conservation of hBMSC viability and supports proliferation and matrix deposition. The possibility to seed and assemble microspheres in designed 3D-printed PCL scaffolds for the fabrication of a mechanically stable and biological supportive tissue engineering cartilage construct was demonstrated. We optimize and demonstrate that electrospray microsphere fabrication is a cytocompatible and facile process to produce the hBMSC-embedded microsize tissue-like particles that can easily be assembled into a stable construct. This finding could have application in the development of mechanically competent stem cell–based tissue engineering of cartilage regeneration.

Fund:

SSSTC exchange (nr EG 08-122016), Funding: CHF 30'000 Period: 2018-2019.