Complex Tissue Regeneration Department, MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht 6229 ER, The Netherlands.
Biofabrication. 2020 Jul 16;12(4):045001. doi: 10.1088/1758-5090/ab9988.
Controlling angiogenesis within tissue engineered constructs remains a critical challenge, especially with regard to the guidance of pre-vascular network formation. Here, we aimed to regulate angiogenesis on a self-assembled honeycomb nanofibrous scaffold. Scaffolds with honeycombs patterns have several desirable properties for tissue engineering, including large surface area, high structural stability and good permeability. Furthermore, the honeycomb pattern resembles early vascular network formation. The self-assembly electrospinning approach to honeycomb scaffolds is a technically simple, rapid, and direct way to realize selective deposition of nanofibers. To evaluate cell compatibility, spreading, proliferation and tube formation, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured on honeycomb scaffolds, as well as on random scaffolds for comparison. The optimized honeycomb nanofibrous scaffolds were observed to better support cell proliferation and network formation, which can facilitate angiogenesis. Moreover, HUVECs cultured on the honeycomb scaffolds were observed to reorganize their cell bodies into tube-like structures containing a central lumen, while this was not observed on random scaffolds. This work has shown that the angiogenic response can be guided by honeycomb scaffolds, allowing improved early HUVECs organization. The guided organization via honeycomb scaffolds can be utilized for tissue engineering applications that require the formation of microvascular networks.
控制组织工程构建体中的血管生成仍然是一个关键挑战，特别是在引导前血管网络形成方面。在这里，我们旨在调节自组装蜂窝状纳米纤维支架上的血管生成。具有蜂窝图案的支架具有组织工程的几个理想特性，包括大的表面积、高结构稳定性和良好的渗透性。此外，蜂窝图案类似于早期的血管网络形成。自组装静电纺丝方法来制造蜂窝支架是一种技术简单、快速和直接的方法，可以实现纳米纤维的选择性沉积。为了评估细胞相容性、铺展、增殖和管状结构形成，将人脐静脉内皮细胞 (HUVEC) 培养在蜂窝支架上，并与随机支架进行比较。优化的蜂窝纳米纤维支架被观察到更好地支持细胞增殖和网络形成，这有助于血管生成。此外，在蜂窝支架上培养的 HUVEC 被观察到将它们的细胞体重新组织成含有中央腔的管状结构，而在随机支架上则没有观察到这种情况。这项工作表明，血管生成反应可以通过蜂窝支架来引导，从而改善早期 HUVEC 的组织。通过蜂窝支架进行的引导组织可以用于需要形成微血管网络的组织工程应用。
