3D-printed biomaterials with regional auxetic properties. (December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Warner, John J.; Gillies, Allison R.; Hwang, Henry H.; Zhang, Hong; Lieber, Richard L.; Chen, Shaochen
• Is Part Of: Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials. Volume 76(2017)
• Page Start: 145
• Page End: 152
• Publication Date: 2017-12
• Subjects: Biomedical materials -- Periodicals; Biomedical materials -- Mechanical properties -- Periodicals; Biomedical materials; Biomedical materials -- Mechanical properties; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 610.28
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2017.05.016
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-6161

Abstract

Abstract: Tissue engineering is replete with methods for inducing and mediating cell differentiation, which are crucial for ensuring proper regrowth of desired tissues. In this study, we developed a 3D-printed, non-positive Poisson's Ratio (NPPR) scaffold intended for future use in stretch-mediated cell differentiation applications, such as in muscle and tendon regeneration. We utilized dynamic optical projection stereolithography (DOPsL) to fabricate multi-layered, cell-laden NPPR scaffolds – these scaffolds can not only support aggregate cell growth, but can also be printed with locally-tunable force-displacement properties at length scales appropriate for tissue interaction. These NPPR multilayered mesh scaffolds can be embedded into highly elastic hydrogels in order to couple a reduced NPPR behavior to a normally Positive Poisson's Ratio (PPR) solid bulk material. This hybrid structure may potentially enable induced 'auxetic' behavior at the single-cell scale while tuning the Poisson's Ratio to a more isolated value. This would be uniquely suited for providing stretch-mediated effects for various cell-types within the tendon-to-muscle tissue transition.