| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 810978 | Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials | 2013 | 12 Pages |
Two thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) methods have been used to fabricate biodegradable poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) tissue engineering scaffolds each with fibrous (F-TIPS) and porous (P-TIPS) microstructures. Three levels of PLLA concentration (3, 5 and 7 wt%) were employed in each fabrication method and both wet and dry specimens were studied. Simple compression testing revealed that an elastic–plastic representation of the mechanical behavior was possible for all specimens. Both elastic and plastic moduli were higher for the P-TIPS, for higher polymer concentration, and might be somewhat higher for dry as opposed to wet specimens. For F-TIPS specimens, permanent deformation occurred successively during cyclic deformation but a “memory effect” simplified the behavior. Although F-TIPS microstructure better resembled the natural extracellular matrix, human osteosarcoma fibroblast cells showed more consistent viability in the P-TIPS scaffolds under our unloaded test protocols. Biodegradation in cell culture medium resulted in a decreased elastic moduli for F-TIPS specimens. Information presented regarding the microstructure, mechanical properties and cell viability of these PLLA scaffolds that should help reduce the number of iterations involved in developing tissue engineering products.
Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (465 K)Download as PowerPoint slideHighlights► PLLA tissue engineering scaffolds were prepared by two TIPS methods. ► Different TIPS methods resulted in fibrous and porous microstructures. ► Fabrication method and polymer concentration affected elastic modulus. ► Specimens showed “memory effect” under cyclic loading. ► Cells showed more consistent viability in specimens with porous microstructure.
