Improving cell seeding efficiency through modification of fiber geometry in 3D printed scaffolds
- 12 February 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by IOP Publishing in Biofabrication
- Vol. 13 (3), 035025
- https://doi.org/10.1088/1758-5090/abe5b4
Abstract
Cell seeding on 3D scaffolds is a very delicate step in tissue engineering applications, influencing the outcome of the subsequent culture phase, and determining the results of the entire experiment. Thus, it is crucial to maximize its efficiency. To this purpose, a detailed study of the influence of the geometry of the scaffold fibers on dynamic seeding efficiency is presented. 3D printing technology was used to realize PLA porous scaffolds, formed by fibers with a non-circular cross-sectional geometry, named multilobed to highlight the presence of niches and ridges. An oscillating perfusion bioreactor was used to perform bidirectional dynamic seeding of MG63 cells. The fiber shape influences the fluid dynamic parameters of the flow, affecting values of fluid velocity and wall shear stress. The path followed by cells through the scaffold fibers is also affected and results in a larger number of adhered cells in multilobed scaffolds compared to scaffolds with standard pseudo cylindrical fibers. Geometrical and fluid dynamic features can also have an influence on the morphology of adhered cells. The obtained results suggest that the reciprocal influence of geometrical and fluid dynamic features and their combined effect on cell trajectories should be considered to improve the dynamic seeding efficiency when designing scaffold architecture.Keywords
This publication has 51 references indexed in Scilit:
- Geometrical effects in microfluidic-based microarrays for rapid, efficient single-cell capture of mammalian stem cells and plant cellsBiomicrofluidics, 2012
- Characterization and Optimization of Cell Seeding in Scaffolds by Factorial Design: Quality by Design Approach for Skeletal Tissue EngineeringTissue Engineering, Part C: Methods, 2011
- Effects of the architecture of tissue engineering scaffolds on cell seeding and culturingActa Biomaterialia, 2010
- Cell-Seeding Techniques in Vascular Tissue EngineeringTissue Engineering, Part B: Reviews, 2010
- Discrepancies between metabolic activity and DNA content as tool to assess cell proliferation in cancer researchJournal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, 2010
- Insulin-like Growth Factor-I and Slow, Bi-directional Perfusion Enhance the Formation of Tissue-Engineered Cardiac GraftsTissue Engineering, Part A, 2009
- Scaffold Stiffness Influences Cell Behavior: Opportunities for Skeletal Tissue EngineeringThe Open Orthopaedics Journal, 2008
- Oscillating perfusion of cell suspensions through three‐dimensional scaffolds enhances cell seeding efficiency and uniformityBiotechnology & Bioengineering, 2003
- Tissue EngineeringScience, 1993
- Proteinase K from Tritirachium album LimberJBIC Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry, 1974