Fiber-Based Chitosan Tubular Scaffolds for Soft Tissue Engineering： Fabrication and in Vitro Evaluation

Porous, two-ply tubular chitosan conduits for guided tissue regeneration were fabricated by combining the textile technique （inner layer） with the thermally induced phase separation process （outer layer）. A hollow chitosan tube was prepared using an industrial warp knitting process with chitosan yarns. Then, an appropriate diameter mandrel was inserted into the pre-fabricated tube. The tube and the mandrel were dipped into the chitosan solution together, taken out, and freeze-dried. After being neutralized in alkaline solution and dried at room temperature, the mandrel was removed to create the chitosan tubular scaffold. Scanning electron micrographs show that the resulting tubes have a biphasic wall structure, with a fibrous inner layer and a semipermeable outer layer. The swelling properties and the mechanical strength before and after in vitro degradation were investigated. The biocompatibility of the scaffolds was also investigated by co-culturing neuroblastoma cells （N2A, mouse） with the scaffolds. The results suggest that these chitosan tubular scaffolds are useful for the regeneration of tissues requiring a tubular scaffold.     

Fabrication and Characterization of Chitosan Nerve Conduits with Microtubular Architectures

Porous multi-channel chitosan conduits were fabricated using a novel phase-separation technique with an axial temperature gradient. First, porous chitosan tubes were made with a mold that was composed of two concentric polytetrafiuoroethylene tubes. Then 1%-3% （w/v） chitosan solution was injected into the chitosan tube while the two ends of the tube were closed with steel rods. Then the outside of the tube was wrapped with a layer of thermal insulating material to reduce the heat transfer through the outside, and the tubes were placed in a freezer. The resulting phase separation then occurred in the presence of an axial temperature gradient. The porosity, microtubule diameter, and orientation were controlled by adjusting the polymer concentration and temperature gradient. After the preparation course, no poisonous substances remained on the conduits. The mechanical properties, swelling, and biodegradability of the chitosan conduits were investigated, and a scanning electron microscope was used to observe the tubular morphology and growth of neuroblastoma cells （N2A, mouse） in the conduits. The results demonstrate that the multi-channel chitosan conduits have suitable mechanical strength, swelling, degradation properties, and nerve cell affinity, so they hold promise for use as neural tissue engineering scaffolds.     

Alkylation of Chitosan as Nerve Conduit Biomaterial

IntroductionTrauma of the nervous system,which is one of themostimportant systems in the human body,oftenresults in permanent loss of function and greatdiscomfort for the patients.Study of peripheralnerve regeneration has not only relieved patientpain,but also provided insight into themechanisms of nerve development andregeneration. So both clinical medicine andfoundational life science benefit from the study ofperipheral nerve regeneration.　There has been a resurgence of interest in thedevel…     

Porous Chitosan Microcarriers for Large Scale Cultivation of Cells for Tissue Engineering： Fabrication and Evaluation

Introduction Regeneration of injured tissue on a man-made template has been used since the earlier 1980s[1]. Afterward, it was accepted as a tissue engineering technology[2,3]. Nowadays many kinds of damaged or dysfunctional tissues/organs such as bones, …     

Chitosan Conduit for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

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Feasibility of Using Chitosan in Nerve Repair

IntroductionChitin,themajorpolysaccharideininsectexoskeletonsandcrustaceanshells,hasβ(1-4)-linkedN-acetylglucosaminerepeatunitsandisthesecondmostabundantformofpolymerizedcarbonfoundinnature[1].Chitosan,thefullyorpartiallyN-deacetyledformofchitin,isacationicpolysaccharidecomposedofglucosamineandN-acetylglucosamineresidueswitha1,4-β-linkage.Ithasastructuresimilartoglycosaminoglycans,whicharethecomponentsofanextracellularmatrixandisbiocompatible[2].Duetoitspositivesurfacechargeandbiocompatibi…     

磷酸钙与胶原双相多级仿生骨组织工程支架研究

磷酸钙与胶原是天然骨组织的重要组成成分,介绍了一种仿生设计磷酸钙与胶原双相复合的多级仿生骨组织支架.采用双氧水发泡技术精确定制磷酸钙支架孔结构,结合真空灌注胶原以及仿生矿化技术,构建磷酸钙,胶原双相多级仿生骨组织支架,材料的孔结构及化学组分可实现定制设计.通过对支架材料测试表征,结果显示,这种无机/有机/无机多级仿生支架材有良好的力学性能.材料的体外细胞实验结果证实,这种多级仿生支架材料具有良好的生物相容性.     

蚕丝蛋白/明胶多孔肝组织支架的制备及性能研究

采用冷冻干燥法制备了蚕丝蛋白/明胶多孔支架,并分别在-20℃和-70℃预冻,以观察支架的微孔结构,测量支架的孔隙率、溶胀吸水性及力学性能,研究HepG2细胞在支架中的生长增殖情况.结果表明:随预冻温度降低,支架的孔径减小且微孔分布更加均匀,孔隙率及力学性能均得到提高.细胞培养结果显示:随预冻温度降低,支架的细胞贴壁率减...     

纳米支架在组织工程中的研究进展

纳米纤维支架技术是组织工程中为了支持细胞形成受损组织生物替代物的新兴技术。纳米支架能模拟天然的细胞外基质,作为三维的模板供细胞吸附、增殖以及分化。主要介绍了纳米纤维支架的结构特性、构建技术以及生物学效应。     

PLGA组织工程支架的构建及降解行为研究

用本体开环聚合方式合成不同摩尔比的PLGA（n(dl-LA)n(GA)分别为85／15，75／25，65／35，55／45)共聚物。^H NMR和溶解试验结果表明，共聚物各链段呈无规分布，GA序列长度在1.3-1.8之间。通过溶液浇铸造-低热模压-粒子沥滤技术构建了高度多孔的PLGA组织工程支架，考察了它们在Na2HPO4-NaH2PO4缓冲溶液中的降解行为。结果表明：随着水解的进行，PLGA的特性粘度及构建的多孔支架的压缩强度迅速下降，共聚物中GA组分含量赵大，下降的速度越快，与之对应的多孔支架的多孔结构形态保持时间也随共聚物中GA组合分含量增加而下降，分别为8周（n(dl-LA)/n(GA)分别为85/15和75/25）、4周（n(dl-LA)/n(GA)为65/35）和2周（n(dl-LA)/n(GA)为55/45）；但质量损失速率比[η下降速度慢得多，多孔支架的降解速率慢于薄膜的降解速率。     

骨组织工程支架渐变孔洞的设计

根据自然骨组织的微观结构特点,建立了一种圆柱状骨支架模型,它由圆环骨板、变截面圆杆和变截面孔洞组成.其中变截面圆杆将圆环骨板连接起来,变截面孔洞使骨板连通.通过胞元力学模型分析得出,胞元旋转角度呈0°排列较好;当圆杆和孔的直径减少和数量相应增加时,胞元的最大等效应力相应减小.     

新型双层皮肤组织工程支架的构建

模拟天然皮肤的真、表皮结构,以胶原和壳聚糖为主要原料构建皮肤组织工程双层支架.将固含量0.8%(mass)的胶原-壳聚糖溶液冻干后压膜,经戊二醛交联后再冻干形成双层支架的底层,然后注入固含量0.2%(mass)的胶原-壳聚糖溶液,经冻干、交联、再冻干即得结构较稳定的双层复合海绵支架.在双层支架上培养的小鼠成纤维细胞贴壁生长正常.本研究构建的胶原-壳聚糖双层支架具有良好的结构稳定性和细胞相容性.     

静电纺丝在组织工程支架材料制备中的应用

综述了静电纺丝的基本原理和过程参数,重点描述了静电纺丝及同轴共纺技术在组织工程支架材料领域的应用,最后对电纺技术在组织工程支架材料领域应用中存在的问题和面临的挑战进行了讨论.     

组织工程三维多孔支架制备技术的最新进展

理想的组织工程支架是由具有一定降解性能的高分子材料制成的,制备的支架除了要有一定的孔隙率和适于细胞生长的孔径外,还要有较高的机械性能和生物活性.为此介绍了用于组织工程中的可降解高分子材料,并详细阐述了最新的制备组织工程支架的方法:超临界CO2技术,计算机辅助成型技术,以及静电纺丝技术.     

角膜组织工程支架壳聚糖-胶原复合膜的性能

制备了壳聚糖-胶原角膜组织工程支架,考察了复合膜支架的光学性能、力学强度、结晶性、吸水率、亲水性、微观形貌及细胞亲和性,发现支架内胶原与壳聚糖两种分子间存在较强的相互作用,且具有良好的相容性,支架表面平滑均一,内部呈现层状有序结构．壳聚糖-胶原复合膜具有优异的透光率和适宜的湿态力学强度．细胞培养实验中,人角膜缘上皮细胞能在支架上较好地粘附和增殖分化,显示复合膜支架具有良好的细胞亲和性．结果表明壳聚糖-胶原复合膜有望成为一种性能良好的角膜组织工程支架．     

神经营养因子NT-3神经干细胞移植对帕金森病大鼠功能修复研究

为了研究神经干细胞和神经营养因子NT-3对帕金森病(PD)的修复作用,将NT-3表达载体pEGFP-C1-NT3转染大鼠原代神经干细胞(NSCs),构建了NSCs-NT3细胞.移植入帕金森病模型大鼠脑部MFB和VTA区域,观察到移植细胞在大鼠移植部位生长与迁移,证实移植成功.对移植后疾病模型进行APO旋转实验和水迷宫行为检测,结果表明,NT-3有利于学习与记忆能力改善,分子水平证实移植区域NT-3显著表达.本研究通过移植过表达NT-3的神经干细胞,从分子、细胞、组织和个体行为等不同层面证实了NSCs-NT3对PD模型大鼠修复的积极作用,为PD的转基因神经干细胞移植治疗研究提供了理论与实践依据.     

神经干细胞的诱导分化

目的：探讨神经干细胞（NSCs）的诱导分化机制。方法：本文就Nscs的来源、分布、诱导分化的调控机制和因素以及其应用前景作一综述。结果：神经干细胞可从鼠、人的胚胎和成年中枢神经系统（CNS）成功分离并培养，具有自我更新和多分化潜能，经体外诱导或植入体内后均能分化为成熟神经元和神经胶质细胞。结论：神经干细胞的发现和研究的深入为神经发育研究及中枢神经功能重建提供了新的思路。     

干细胞工程的应用前景研究

近些年来干细胞的应用研究几乎涉及到所有生命科学和生物医学研究领域．由于干细胞能够自我更新和多向分化的生物学特性，使得干细胞工程在细胞的分化和胚胎发育、转基因动物和动物克隆、新型高效药物的开发和临床细胞治疗、组织工程等方面的研究中等有着广泛的应用前景，同时，作为一门新兴学科也面临着许多挑战．     

气体发泡PLA/PS共混高聚物制备组织工程支架研究

相互联通的三维可控孔隙结构是组织工程支架材料设计的关键.介绍了一种通过气体物理发泡工艺制备多孔生物支架材料的方法,研究了对不可共混的双相高分子材料聚乳酸与聚苯乙烯进行可控发泡的设计,发泡后经溶蚀工艺处理得到相互联通的孔隙结构.成骨细胞种植实验结果显示,细胞在支架中生长情况良好,经2周培养初步表现出在三维空间蔓延传递生长的特征,表明此方法为制备三维可控多孔类组织工程支架材料提供了一种有效设计途径.     

3D Nanocomposite Hydrogel Scaffolds Fabricated by Rapid Prototyping for Bone Tissue Engineering

Colloidal gels made of oppositely charged nanoparticles are a novel class of hydrogels and can exhibit pseudoplastic behavior which will enable them to mold easily into specific shapes. These moldable gels can be used as building blocks to self-assemble into integral scaffolds from bottom to up through electrostatic forces. However, they are too weak to maintain scaffold morphology just depending on interparticle interactions such as Van der Waals attraction and electrostatic forces especially for bone tissue engineering. In this study, oppositely charged gelatin nanoparticles were firstly prepared by two-step desolvation method, followed by the mixture with water to form colloid gels. To solve the problem of weak mechanical performance of colloid gels, gelatin macromolecules were introduced into the prepared gels to form blend gels. The blend gels can be easily processed into three-dimensional （3D） porous scaffolds via motor assisted microsyringe （MAM） system, a nozzle-based rapid prototyping technology, under mild conditions. After fabrication the scaffolds were erosslinked by glutaraldehyde （ GA, 25 % solution in water by weight）, then the crosslinked gelatin macromolecules network could form to improve the mechanical properties of colloid gels. The average particle size and zeta potential of gdatin nanoparticles were measured by Nano- ZS instrument. The morphology and microstructures of scaffolds were characterized by macroscopic images. The mechanical properties of the scaffolds were studied by a universal material testing machine.