Yao Ke, Hong Gaoying, Yuan Ximin, Kong Weicheng, Xia Pengcheng, Li Yuanrong, Chen Yuewei, Liu Nian, He Jing, Shi Jue, Hu Zihe, Zhou Yanyan, Xie Zhijian, He Yong
State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, People's Republic of China.
Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310027, People's Republic of China.
Nanomicro Lett. 2024 Sep 29;17(1):27. doi: 10.1007/s40820-024-01524-z.
Hydrogel scaffolds have numerous potential applications in the tissue engineering field. However, tough hydrogel scaffolds implanted in vivo are seldom reported because it is difficult to balance biocompatibility and high mechanical properties. Inspired by Chinese ramen, we propose a universal fabricating method (printing-P, training-T, cross-linking-C, PTC & PCT) for tough hydrogel scaffolds to fill this gap. First, 3D printing fabricates a hydrogel scaffold with desired structures (P). Then, the scaffold could have extraordinarily high mechanical properties and functional surface structure by cycle mechanical training with salting-out assistance (T). Finally, the training results are fixed by photo-cross-linking processing (C). The tough gelatin hydrogel scaffolds exhibit excellent tensile strength of 6.66 MPa (622-fold untreated) and have excellent biocompatibility. Furthermore, this scaffold possesses functional surface structures from nanometer to micron to millimeter, which can efficiently induce directional cell growth. Interestingly, this strategy can produce bionic human tissue with mechanical properties of 10 kPa-10 MPa by changing the type of salt, and many hydrogels, such as gelatin and silk, could be improved with PTC or PCT strategies. Animal experiments show that this scaffold can effectively promote the new generation of muscle fibers, blood vessels, and nerves within 4 weeks, prompting the rapid regeneration of large-volume muscle loss injuries.
水凝胶支架在组织工程领域有众多潜在应用。然而，植入体内的坚韧水凝胶支架鲜有报道，因为要平衡生物相容性和高机械性能颇具难度。受中国拉面启发，我们提出一种用于制备坚韧水凝胶支架的通用制造方法（打印-P、训练-T、交联-C、PTC和PCT）来填补这一空白。首先，3D打印制造出具有所需结构的水凝胶支架（P）。然后，通过在盐析辅助下的循环机械训练，该支架可具备极高的机械性能和功能性表面结构（T）。最后，通过光交联处理固定训练结果（C）。坚韧的明胶水凝胶支架展现出6.66兆帕的优异拉伸强度（是未处理支架的622倍），且具有出色的生物相容性。此外，这种支架拥有从纳米到微米再到毫米的功能性表面结构，能够有效诱导细胞定向生长。有趣的是，通过改变盐的种类，这种策略可制造出机械性能在10千帕至10兆帕之间的仿生人体组织，许多水凝胶，如明胶和丝绸，都可用PTC或PCT策略进行改进。动物实验表明，这种支架能够在4周内有效促进肌肉纤维、血管和神经的新生，促使大面积肌肉损伤快速再生。
