Abstract Biomaterials are employed in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM) in order to enhance the regeneration or replacement of tissue function and/or structure. The ...unique environments resulting from the presence of biomaterials, cells, and tissues result in distinct challenges in regards to monitoring and assessing the results of these interventions. Imaging technologies for three-dimensional (3D) analysis have been identified as a strategic priority in TERM research. Traditionally, histological and immunohistochemical techniques have been used to evaluate engineered tissues. However, these methods do not allow for an accurate volume assessment, are invasive, and do not provide information on functional status. Imaging techniques are needed that enable non-destructive, longitudinal, quantitative, and three-dimensional analysis of TERM strategies. This review focuses on evaluating the application of available imaging modalities for assessment of biomaterials and tissue in TERM applications. Included is a discussion of limitations of these techniques and identification of areas for further development.
Rapid and controlled vascularization within biomaterials is essential for many applications in regenerative medicine. The extent of vascularization is influenced by a number of factors, including ...scaffold architecture. While properties such as pore size and total porosity have been studied extensively, the importance of controlling the interconnectivity of pores has received less attention. A sintering method was used to generate hydrogel scaffolds with controlled pore interconnectivity. Poly(methyl methacrylate) microspheres were used as a sacrificial agent to generate porous poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate hydrogels with interconnectivity varying based on microsphere sintering conditions. Interconnectivity levels increased with sintering time and temperature with resultant hydrogel structure showing agreement with template structure. Porous hydrogels with a narrow pore size distribution (130-150 μm) and varying interconnectivity were investigated for their ability to influence vascularization in response to gradients of platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB). A rodent subcutaneous model was used to evaluate vascularized tissue formation in the hydrogels in vivo. Vascularized tissue invasion varied with interconnectivity. At week 3, higher interconnectivity hydrogels had completely vascularized with twice as much invasion. Interconnectivity also influenced PDGF-BB transport within the scaffolds. An agent-based model was used to explore the relative roles of steric and transport effects on the observed results. In conclusion, a technique for the preparation of hydrogels with controlled pore interconnectivity has been developed and evaluated. This method has been used to show that pore interconnectivity can independently influence vascularization of biomaterials.
Abstract Gradients of soluble factors play an important role in many biological processes, including blood vessel assembly. Gradients can be studied in detail in vitro , but methods that enable the ...study of spatially distributed soluble factors and multi-cellular processes in vivo are limited. Here, we report on a method for the generation of persistent in vivo gradients of growth factors in a three-dimensional (3D) biomaterial system. Fibrin loaded porous poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) scaffolds were generated using a particulate leaching method. Platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) was encapsulated into poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres which were placed distal to the tissue–material interface. PLGA provides sustained release of PDGF-BB and its diffusion through the porous structure results in gradient formation. Gradients within the scaffold were confirmed in vivo using near-infrared fluorescence imaging and gradients were present for more than 3 weeks. The diffusion of PDGF-BB was modeled and verified with in vivo imaging findings. The depth of tissue invasion and density of blood vessels formed in response to the biomaterial increased with magnitude of the gradient. This biomaterial system allows for generation of sustained growth factor gradients for the study of tissue response to gradients in vivo.
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Alginate hydrogels have been investigated for a broad variety of medical applications. The ability to assemble hydrogels at neutral pH and mild temperatures makes alginate a popular ...choice for the encapsulation and delivery of cells and proteins. Alginate has been studied extensively for the delivery of islets as a treatment for type 1 diabetes. However, poor stability of the encapsulation systems after implantation remains a challenge. In this paper, alginate was modified with 2-aminoethyl methacrylate hydrochloride (AEMA) to introduce groups that can be photoactivated to generate covalent bonds. This enabled formation of dual crosslinked structure upon exposure to ultraviolet light following initial ionic crosslinking into bead structures. The degree of methacrylation was varied and in vitro stability, long term swelling, and cell viability examined. At low levels of the methacrylation, the beads could be formed by first ionic crosslinks followed by exposure to ultraviolet light to generate covalent bonds. The methacrylated alginate resulted in more stable beads and cells were viable following encapsulation. Alginate microbeads, ionic (unmodified) and dual crosslinked, were implanted into a rat omentum pouch model. Implantation was performed with a local injection of 100 µl of 50 µg/ml of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to stimulate a robust inflammatory challenge in vivo. Implants were retrieved at 1 and 3 weeks for analysis. The unmodified alginate microbeads had all failed by week 1, whereas the dual-crosslinked alginate microbeads remained stable up through 3 weeks. The modified alginate microbeads may provide a more stable alternative to current alginate-based systems for cell encapsulation.
Alginate, a naturally occurring polysaccharide, has been used for cell encapsulation to prevent graft rejection of cell transplants for people with type I diabetes. Although some success has been observed in clinical trials, the lack of reproducibility and failure to reach insulin dependence for longer periods of time indicates the need for improvements in the procedure. A major requirement for the long-term function of alginate encapsulated cells is the mechanical stability of microcapsules. Insufficient mechanical integrity of the capsules can lead to immunological reactions in the recipients. In this work, alginate was modified to allow photoactivatable groups in order to allow formation of covalent crosslinks in addition to ionic crosslinking. The dual crosslinking design prevents capsule breakdown following implantation in vivo.
Vascular network formation within biomaterial scaffolds is essential for the generation of properly functioning engineered tissues. In this study, a method is described for generating composite ...hydrogels in which porous poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels serve as scaffolds for mechanical and structural support, and fibrin is loaded within the pores to induce vascularized tissue formation. Porous PEG hydrogels were generated by a salt leaching technique with 100-150-μm pore size and thrombin (Tb) preloaded within the scaffold. Fibrinogen (Fg) was loaded into pores with varying concentrations and polymerized into fibrin due to the presence of Tb, with loading efficiencies ranging from 79.9% to 82.4%. Fibrin was distributed throughout the entire porous hydrogels, lasted for greater than 20 days, and increased hydrogel mechanical stiffness. A rodent subcutaneous implant model was used to evaluate the influence of fibrin loading on in vivo response. At weeks 1, 2, and 3, all hydrogels had significant tissue invasion, but no difference in the depth of invasion was found with the Fg concentration. Hydrogels with fibrin loading induced more vascularization, with a significantly higher vascular density at 20 mg/mL (week 1) and 40 mg/mL (weeks 2 and 3) Fg concentration compared to hydrogels without fibrin. In conclusion, we have developed a composite hydrogel that supports rapid vascularized tissue ingrowth, and thus holds great potential for tissue engineering applications.
Abstract There is significant interest in biomaterials that provide sustained release of therapeutic molecules to the retina. Poly( N -isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm)-based materials have received ...significant attention as injectable drug delivery platforms due to PNIPAAm’s thermo-responsive properties at approximately 32 °C. While the drug delivery properties of PNIPAAm materials have been studied extensively, there is a need to evaluate the safety effects of hydrogel injection on retinal function. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEG-DA) crosslinked PNIPAAm hydrogel injection on retinal function. Utilizing scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO), optical coherent tomography (OCT), and electroretinography (ERG), retinal function was assessed following hydrogel injection. In region near the hydrogel, there was a significant decrease in arterial and venous diameters (∼4%) and an increase in venous blood velocity (∼8%) 1 week post-injection. Retinal thickness decreased (∼6%) at 1 week and the maximum a- and b-wave amplitudes of ERG decreased (∼15%). All data returned to baseline values after week 1. These data suggest that the injection of PEG-DA crosslinked PNIPAAm hydrogel results in a small transient effect on retinal function without any long-term effects. These results further support the potential of PNIPAAm-based materials as an ocular drug delivery platform.
Three dimensional imaging techniques are needed for the evaluation and assessment of biomaterials used for tissue engineering and drug delivery applications. Hydrogels are a particularly popular ...class of materials for medical applications but are difficult to image in tissue using most available imaging modalities. Imaging techniques based on X-ray Phase Contrast (XPC) have shown promise for tissue engineering applications due to their ability to provide image contrast based on multiple X-ray properties. In this manuscript, we investigate the use of XPC for imaging a model hydrogel and soft tissue structure. Porous fibrin loaded poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels were synthesized and implanted in a rodent subcutaneous model. Samples were explanted and imaged with an analyzer-based XPC technique and processed and stained for histology for comparison. Both hydrogel and soft tissues structures could be identified in XPC images. Structure in skeletal muscle adjacent could be visualized and invading fibrovascular tissue could be quantified. There were no differences between invading tissue measurements from XPC and the gold-standard histology. These results provide evidence of the significant potential of techniques based on XPC for 3D imaging of hydrogel structure and local tissue response.
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