Scalable Fabrication of Porous Microchannel Nerve Guidance Scaffolds with Complex Geometries. Issue 30 (6th June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shahriari, Dena; Loke, Gabriel; Tafel, Ian; Park, Seongjun; Chiang, Po‐Han; Fink, Yoel; Anikeeva, Polina
• Is Part Of: Advanced materials. Volume 31:Issue 30(2019)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2019-06-06
• Subjects: 3D printing -- nerve guidance scaffolds -- nerve repair -- porous fibers -- thermal drawing; Materials -- Periodicals; Chemical vapor deposition -- Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1002/adma.201902021
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0935-9648

Abstract

Abstract: Microchannel scaffolds accelerate nerve repair by guiding growing neuronal processes across injury sites. Although geometry, materials chemistry, stiffness, and porosity have been shown to influence nerve growth within nerve guidance scaffolds, independent tuning of these properties in a high‐throughput manner remains a challenge. Here, fiber drawing is combined with salt leaching to produce microchannels with tunable cross sections and porosity. This technique is applicable to an array of biochemically inert polymers, and it delivers hundreds of meters of porous microchannel fibers. Employing these fibers as filaments during 3D printing enables the production of microchannel scaffolds with geometries matching those of biological nerves, including branched topographies. Applied to sensory neurons, fiber‐based porous microchannels enhance growth as compared to non‐porous channels with matching materials and geometries. The combinatorial scaffold fabrication approach may advance the studies of neural regeneration and accelerate the development of nerve repair devices. Abstract : Fiber drawing is combined with salt leaching to produce hundreds of meters of porous microchannel fibers. Employing these fibers as filaments during 3D printing enables the production of microchannel scaffolds with geometries matching those of biological nerves, including branched topographies. The combinatorial scaffold fabrication approach may advance the studies of neural regeneration and accelerate the development of nerve repair devices.