Biomimetic angle-ply multi-lamellar scaffold for annulus fibrosus tissue engineering

J Mater Sci Mater Med. 2020 Jul 23;31(8):67. doi: 10.1007/s10856-020-06404-7.

Abstract

Constructing a biomimetic scaffold that replicates the complex architecture of intervertebral disc annulus fibrosus (AF) remains a major goal in AF tissue engineering. In this study, a biomimetic angle-ply multi-lamellar polycaprolactone/silk fibroin (PCL/SF) AF scaffold was fabricated. Wet-spinning was used to obtain aligned PCL/SF microfiber sheets, and these were excised into strips with microfibers aligned at +30° or -30° relative to the strip long axis. This was followed by stacking two strips with opposing fiber alignment and wrapping them concentrically around a mandrel. Our results demonstrated that the scaffold possessed spatial structure and mechanical properties comparable to natural AF. The scaffold supported rabbit AF cells adhesion, proliferation, infiltration and guided oriented growth and extracellular matrix deposition. In conclusion, our angle-ply multi-lamellar scaffold offers a potential solution for AF replacement therapy and warrants further attention in future investigations.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Annulus Fibrosus / cytology*
  • Annulus Fibrosus / drug effects
  • Annulus Fibrosus / physiology
  • Biomimetic Materials* / chemical synthesis
  • Biomimetic Materials* / chemistry
  • Biomimetic Materials* / pharmacology
  • Biomimetics / instrumentation
  • Biomimetics / methods
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Extracellular Matrix / metabolism
  • Intervertebral Disc / cytology
  • Intervertebral Disc / physiology
  • Materials Testing
  • Polyesters / chemical synthesis
  • Polyesters / chemistry
  • Rabbits
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  • Surface Properties
  • Tissue Engineering / instrumentation*
  • Tissue Engineering / methods
  • Tissue Scaffolds / chemistry*

Substances

  • Polyesters
  • polycaprolactone