Nature inspired tissue engineering scaffold development: a mechanical approach

F. MONTINI BALLARIN

Mar del Plata

Congreso; LXIV Reunion Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Clínica (SAIC), LI Reunion Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Farmacología Experimental (SAFE), XXI Reunion Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Biología (SAB) y la XXXI Reunion Anual de la Socie; 2019

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Clínica (SAIC), Sociedad Argentina de Farmacología Experimental (SAFE), Sociedad Argentina de Biología (SAB), Sociedad Argentina de Protozoología (SAP)

Nature has developed numerous biological systems with different and characteristic functionalities, which are a continuum source of inspiration for the scientists in search for designs and strategies, for innovative and advanced engineering material systems. What is more, in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine it is necessary to mimic natural tissue unique properties in order for scaffolds to succeed over time. Tissue engineered scaffolds are being developed as treatment options for malfunctioning tissues where transplantation is no longer an alternative. In the classical paradigm, a material, in the form of a porous scaffold, is used to provide a shape to the tissue under construction and facilitate the release of molecular and mechanical signals. In addition, where it is required to replace tissues that are naturally subjected to mechanical stress, synthetic scaffolds must mimic their mechanical response. It has been studied that a mismatch between the natural mechanical properties and those of the synthetic scaffold is a cause of long-term failure.Elastin and collagen are the two main components of elastic tissues. The hierarchical collagenous constructions of varying shape, size, and form, which elicit different toughening mechanisms, together with the high elasticity provided by elastin fibers results in a unique mechanical response. Thus, understanding the functional mechanical properties of native tissues and how to mimic these properties in an engineered construct is essential.Electrospinning allows the production of scaffolds, consisting of nanofibers with a microstructure that mimics the natural extracellular matrix. Moreover, the use of multiscale mechanical constitutive models enables to select the scaffold characteristics based on an objective response.This work highlights the potential of electrospinning for applications in tissue engineering, presenting examples and the challenges to consider in future work.