Department of Biomedical Engineering, Parks College of Engineering, Aviation, and Technology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States.
Acta Biomater. 2017 Oct 15;62:29-41. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2017.08.033. Epub 2017 Aug 26.
The extracellular matrix is fundamental in providing an appropriate environment for cell interaction and signaling to occur. Replicating such a matrix is advantageous in the support of tissue ingrowth and regeneration through the field of tissue engineering. While scaffolds can be fabricated in many ways, cryogels have recently become a popular approach due to their macroporous structure and durability. Produced through the crosslinking of gel precursors followed by a subsequent controlled freeze/thaw cycle, the resulting cryogel provides a unique, sponge-like structure. Therefore, cryogels have proven advantageous for many tissue engineering applications including roles in bioreactor systems, cell separation, and scaffolding. Specifically, the matrix has been demonstrated to encourage the production of various molecules, such as antibodies, and has also been used for cryopreservation. Cryogels can pose as a bioreactor for the expansion of cell lines, as well as a vehicle for cell separation. Lastly, this matrix has shown excellent potential as a tissue engineered scaffold, encouraging regrowth at numerous damaged tissue sites in vivo. This review will briefly discuss the fabrication of cryogels, with an emphasis placed on their application in various facets of tissue engineering to provide an overview of this unique scaffold's past and future roles.
Cryogels are unique scaffolds produced through the controlled freezing and thawing of a polymer solution. There is an ever-growing body of literature that demonstrates their applicability in the realm of tissue engineering as extracellular matrix analogue scaffolds; with extensive information having been provided regarding the fabrication, porosity, and mechanical integrity of the scaffolds. Additionally, cryogels have been reviewed with respect to their role in bioseparation and as cellular incubators. This all-inclusive view of the roles that cryogels can play is critical to advancing the technology and expanding its niche within biomaterials and tissue engineering research. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first comprehensive review of cryogel applications in tissue engineering that includes specific looks at their growing roles as extracellular matrix analogues, incubators, and in bioseparation processes.
细胞外基质对于细胞相互作用和信号发生提供适当的环境至关重要。通过组织工程领域，复制这样的基质有利于组织内植物生长和再生的支持。虽然支架可以通过多种方式制造，但由于其大孔结构和耐用性，冷冻凝胶最近成为一种流行的方法。通过凝胶前体的交联随后进行受控的冷冻/解冻循环产生的冷冻凝胶提供了独特的海绵状结构。因此，冷冻凝胶已被证明对许多组织工程应用有利，包括在生物反应器系统、细胞分离和支架中的作用。具体而言，该基质已被证明可以促进各种分子的产生，例如抗体，并且也已被用于冷冻保存。冷冻凝胶可以作为细胞系的生物反应器，也可以作为细胞分离的载体。最后，该基质作为组织工程支架显示出巨大的潜力，可促进体内许多受损组织部位的再生。本综述将简要讨论冷冻凝胶的制造，并特别强调其在组织工程各个方面的应用，以概述这种独特支架的过去和未来作用。
冷冻凝胶是通过聚合物溶液的受控冷冻和解冻产生的独特支架。有越来越多的文献表明，它们在组织工程领域作为细胞外基质类似物支架的适用性；已经提供了广泛的信息，涉及支架的制造、孔隙率和机械完整性。此外，已经审查了冷冻凝胶在生物分离和细胞培养器中的作用。对冷冻凝胶可以发挥的作用进行全面的了解对于推进该技术并在生物材料和组织工程研究中扩大其应用领域至关重要。据作者所知，这是第一篇关于冷冻凝胶在组织工程中应用的全面综述，其中包括对其作为细胞外基质类似物、培养箱和生物分离过程中作用的具体研究。
