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Wasyłeczko M.♦, Remiszewska E.♦, Sikorska W.♦, Dulnik J., Chwojnowski A.♦, Scaffolds for Cartilage Tissue Engineering from a Blend of Polyethersulfone and Polyurethane Polymers,
Molecules, ISSN: 1420-3049, DOI: 10.3390/molecules28073195, Vol.28, No.7, pp.3195-1-28, 2023Abstract: In recent years, one of the main goals of cartilage tissue engineering has been to find appropriate scaffolds for hyaline cartilage regeneration, which could serve as a matrix for chondrocytes or stem cell cultures. The study presents three types of scaffolds obtained from a blend of polyethersulfone (PES) and polyurethane (PUR) by a combination of wet-phase inversion and salt-leaching methods. The nonwovens made of gelatin and sodium chloride (NaCl) were used as precursors of macropores. Thus, obtained membranes were characterized by a suitable structure. The top layers were perforated, with pores over 20 µm, which allows cells to enter the membrane. The use of a nonwoven made it possible to develop a three-dimensional network of interconnected macropores that is required for cell activity and mobility. Examination of wettability (contact angle, swelling ratio) showed a hydrophilic nature of scaffolds. The mechanical test showed that the scaffolds were suitable for knee joint applications (stress above 10 MPa). Next, the scaffolds underwent a degradation study in simulated body fluid (SBF). Weight loss after four weeks and changes in structure were assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and MeMoExplorer Software, a program that estimates the size of pores. The porosity measurements after degradation confirmed an increase in pore size, as expected. Hydrolysis was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis, where the disappearance of ester bonds at about 1730 cm −1 wavelength is noticeable after degradation. The obtained results showed that the scaffolds meet the requirements for cartilage tissue engineering membranes and should undergo further testing on an animal model. Keywords: articular cartilage, cartilage tissue engineering, hydrolysis process, materials for scaffolds, partly degradable scaffolds, polyethersulfone–polyurethane scaffolds, polyurethane degradation, regenerative medicine, scaffold requirements, tissue engineering Affiliations:
Wasyłeczko M. | - | Nałęcz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences (PL) | Remiszewska E. | - | other affiliation | Sikorska W. | - | Nałęcz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences (PL) | Dulnik J. | - | IPPT PAN | Chwojnowski A. | - | Nałęcz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences (PL) |
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