Department of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, USA.
Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA.
Tissue Eng Part B Rev. 2024 Aug;30(4):405-422. doi: 10.1089/ten.TEB.2023.0222. Epub 2024 Jan 16.
Anisotropically aligned collagen scaffolds mimic the microarchitectural properties of native tissue, possess superior mechanical properties, and provide the essential physicochemical cues to guide cell response. Biofabrication methodologies to align collagen fibers include mechanical, electrical, magnetic, and microfluidic approaches. Magnetic alignment of collagen was first published in 1983 but widespread use of this technique was hindered mainly due to the low diamagnetism of collagen molecules and the need for very strong tesla-order magnetic fields. Over the last decade, there is a renewed interest in the use of magnetic approaches that employ magnetic particles and low-level magnetic fields to align collagen fibers. In this review, the working principle, advantages, and limitations of different collagen alignment techniques with special emphasis on the magnetic alignment approach are detailed. Key findings from studies that employ high-strength magnetic fields and the magnetic particle-based approach to align collagen fibers are highlighted. In addition, the most common qualitative and quantitative image analyses methods to assess collagen alignment are discussed. Finally, current challenges and future directions are presented for further development and clinical translation of magnetically aligned collagen scaffolds.
各向异性排列的胶原支架模仿了天然组织的微观结构特性，具有优异的机械性能，并提供了指导细胞反应的必要物理化学线索。用于排列胶原纤维的生物制造方法包括机械、电气、磁和微流控方法。1983 年首次发表了胶原的磁定向，但由于胶原分子的低抗磁性和对非常强的特斯拉级磁场的需求，该技术的广泛应用受到阻碍。在过去的十年中，人们重新产生了使用磁性方法的兴趣，这些方法利用磁性颗粒和低水平磁场来排列胶原纤维。在这篇综述中，详细介绍了不同胶原排列技术的工作原理、优点和局限性，特别强调了磁排列方法。突出了使用高强度磁场和基于磁性颗粒的方法来排列胶原纤维的研究中的主要发现。此外，还讨论了评估胶原排列的最常见定性和定量图像分析方法。最后，提出了当前的挑战和未来的方向，以进一步开发和临床转化磁性排列的胶原支架。
