Bioinspired Mechano-Sensitive Macroporous Ceramic Sponge for Logical Drug and Cell Delivery.

Changlu Xu,Yuekun Lai,Yanjie Bai,Huilin Yang,Huiling Liu,Zhihao Wei,Lei Yang,Huajian Gao

doi:10.1002/advs.201600410

Abstract

On‐demand, ultrahigh precision delivery of molecules and cells assisted by scaffold is a pivotal theme in the field of controlled release, but it remains extremely challenging for ceramic‐based macroporous scaffolds that are prevalently used in regenerative medicine. Sea sponges (Phylum Porifera), whose bodies possess hierarchical pores or channels and organic/inorganic composite structures, can delicately control water intake/circulation and therefore achieve high precision mass transportation of food, oxygen, and wastes. Inspired by leuconoid sponge, in this study, the authors design and fabricate a biomimetic macroporous ceramic composite sponge (CCS) for high precision logic delivery of molecules and cells regulated by mechanical stimulus. The CCS reveals unique on‐demand AND logic release behaviors in response to dual‐gates of moisture and pressure (or strain) and, more importantly, 1 cm3 volume of CCS achieves unprecedentedly delivery precision of ≈100 ng per cycle for hydrophobic or hydrophilic molecules and ≈1400 cells per cycle for fibroblasts, respectively.

Highlights

On-demand, ultrahigh precision delivery of molecules and cells assisted by administration is imperative and the consequence of overdose is serious
We report a mechanically regulated ultrahigh precision logic delivery system realized by bioinspired macroporous ceramic composite sponges (CCS)
CCS loaded with water-insoluble bromophenol blue (BPB) and subjected to compression and decompression cycles (“on/off” status) of 3% strain exhibits linear cumulative release proportional to the cycle numbers (Figure 4a)

Summary

Introduction

On-demand, ultrahigh precision delivery of molecules and cells assisted by administration is imperative and the consequence of overdose is serious. We developed a low-temperature foaming technique that efficiently fabricates the sea sponge-inspired hierarchical pore structures in ceramic-based scaffold with feasibility to load molecules and cells in situ (Figure 1b and Figure S1, Supporting Information).

Results

Conclusion