Travelling along the Clinical Roadmap: Developing Electrospun Scaffolds for Tendon Repair

Lucy A Bosworth

doi:10.1155/2014/304974

Abstract

Biopolymers, such as poly(ε-caprolactone), can be easily electrospun to create fibrous scaffolds. It is also possible to control the alignment of the emitted fibres and further manipulate these scaffolds to create 3D yarn structures, which resemble part of the tendon tissue hierarchy. Material properties, such as tensile strength, can be tailored depending on the selection and combination of polymer and solvent used during electrospinning. The scaffolds have been proven to separately support the adhesion and proliferation of equine tendon fibroblasts and human mesenchymal stem cells whilst simultaneously directing cell orientation, which caused their alignment parallel to the underlying fibres. Implantation of scaffolds into the flexor digitorum profundus tendon of mice hindpaws yielded encouraging results with minimal inflammatory reaction and observation of cell infiltration into the scaffold. This research demonstrates the progression of electrospun fibres along the clinical roadmap towards becoming a future medical device for the treatment of tendon injuries.

Highlights

Electrospinning has become a popular technique in the field of biomaterials and tissue engineering due to the ease at which fibrous scaffolds can be fabricated
Depending on the injury sustained, surgeons can opt to repair the area of damage with autologous tendon tissue
The last eight years have been focused on developing an electrospun fibre scaffold that aims to fulfill these criteria

Summary

Introduction

Electrospinning has become a popular technique in the field of biomaterials and tissue engineering due to the ease at which fibrous scaffolds can be fabricated. The ability to control fibre properties and create 3D structures, with architectures similar to the extracellular matrix, lends itself to a range of tissues, including bone, heart valves, trachea, and tendons [1]. With surgeons having no preferred and reliable device to use consistently, research in developing an alternative solution continues. Gels, such as collagen type I [3, 4] and platelet-rich plasma [5], have been investigated but their use is currently limited due to issues with purity and regulatory standards (such as the FDA and MHRA), and their inherent weak mechanical properties that are essential for this type of tissue. Cells (and matrix) continued to lie adjacent to the underlying architecture over the culture period investigated

Scaffold Design and Fabrication

In Vitro Assessment of Scaffolds

In Vivo Assessment of Scaffolds

Translation of Scaffolds from Bench to Clinic

Conclusion