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Polymers
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Advanced Polymeric Scaffolds Applied in the Biomedical Field
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Advanced Polymeric Scaffolds Applied in the Biomedical Field

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 April 2024) | Viewed by 7076

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Claudia García

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratorio de Materiales Cerámicos y Vitreos, Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UNAL), Carrera 65 # 59A-100, Medellín 050036, Colombia
Interests: biomaterials; ceramic materials; processing materials; sol-gel
Dr. Claudia P. Ossa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Biomaterials Laboratory, University of Antioquia, Street 67 No. 53 - 108 block 18-227 Oficina,19-413, Medellín, Colombia
Interests: biomaterials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Every day, hundreds of people around the world suffer trauma or bone diseases that in many cases can only be treated through partial repairs or complete replacement of the affected organ or tissue. Sometimes, it is possible to perform bone autografts; however, this requires painful surgical procedures and may compromise the function of the healthy organ or tissue. Moreover, the production cycle is long, the amount of graft harvested may be insufficient, and the size and shape of the autogenous bone may not match the defect. Alloplastic grafts, which are derived from synthetically manufactured materials, have emerged in response to the need to produce the required replacements through tissue engineering, which employs structures known as scaffolds to replace the damaged tissue or organ.

Scaffolds mimic the characteristics of the extracellular matrix and allow incorporation into the host body. Bone regeneration requires scaffolds that are porous and mechanically stable to promote tissue integration and angiogenesis, which is essential for tissue regeneration. Scaffolds can be biodegradable, which are completely replaced by new tissue; biocompatible, some of which do not degrade; or bioinert. The biomechanical properties of a scaffold must be compatible with the native tissue, so it is necessary to achieve an optimal balance between shape, quantity, pore size and mechanical strength for the proper formation of new bone tissue. Scaffolds are available in practically all types of materials, among which polymeric materials are notable for their versatility.

In this Special Issue of Polymers, we wish to explore the advances made in polymeric scaffolds for biomedical applications, which will undoubtedly move us closer to having a market-ready product.

Prof. Dr. Claudia García
Dr. Claudia P. Ossa
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biocompatibility
  • scaffolds mechanical properties
  • polymeric scaffolds loaded with other materials
  • biological tests
  • cell proliferation
  • interconnected porosity

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2132 KiB  
Article
Poly-ε-Caprolactone 3D-Printed Porous Scaffold in a Femoral Condyle Defect Model Induces Early Osteo-Regeneration
by Arianna De Mori, Aikaterina Karali, Evangelos Daskalakis, Richard Hing, Paulo Jorge Da Silva Bartolo, Glen Cooper and Gordon Blunn
Polymers 2024, 16(1), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16010066 - 24 Dec 2023
Viewed by 980
Abstract
Large bone reconstruction following trauma poses significant challenges for reconstructive surgeons, leading to a healthcare burden for health systems, long-term pain for patients, and complex disorders such as infections that are difficult to resolve. The use of bone substitutes is suboptimal for substantial [...] Read more.
Large bone reconstruction following trauma poses significant challenges for reconstructive surgeons, leading to a healthcare burden for health systems, long-term pain for patients, and complex disorders such as infections that are difficult to resolve. The use of bone substitutes is suboptimal for substantial bone loss, as they induce localized atrophy and are generally weak, and unable to support load. A combination of strong polycaprolactone (PCL)-based scaffolds, with an average channel size of 330 µm, enriched with 20% w/w of hydroxyapatite (HA), β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP), or Bioglass 45S5 (Bioglass), has been developed and tested for bone regeneration in a critical-size ovine femoral condyle defect model. After 6 weeks, tissue ingrowth was analyzed using X-ray computed tomography (XCT), Backscattered Electron Microscopy (BSE), and histomorphometry. At this point, all materials promoted new bone formation. Histological analysis showed no statistical difference among the different biomaterials (p > 0.05), but PCL-Bioglass scaffolds enhanced bone formation in the center of the scaffold more than the other types of materials. These materials show potential to promote bone regeneration in critical-sized defects on load-bearing sites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Scaffolds Applied in the Biomedical Field)
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17 pages, 7737 KiB  
Article
Preparation and Properties of Antibacterial Silk Fibroin Scaffolds
by Peng Pan, Cheng Hu, Ahui Liang, Xueping Liu, Mengqi Fang, Shanlong Yang, Yadong Zhang and Mingzhong Li
Polymers 2023, 15(23), 4581; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15234581 - 30 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 924
Abstract
The development of a wound dressing with both antibacterial and healing-guiding functions is a major concern in the treatment of open and infected wounds. In this study, poly(hexamethylene biguanide) hydrochloride (PHMB) was loaded into a 3D silk fibroin (SF) scaffold based on electrostatic [...] Read more.
The development of a wound dressing with both antibacterial and healing-guiding functions is a major concern in the treatment of open and infected wounds. In this study, poly(hexamethylene biguanide) hydrochloride (PHMB) was loaded into a 3D silk fibroin (SF) scaffold based on electrostatic interactions between PHMB and SF, and PHMB/SF hybrid scaffolds were prepared via freeze-drying. The effects of the PHMB/SF ratio on the antibacterial activity and cytocompatibility of the hybrid scaffold were investigated. The results of an agar disc diffusion test and a bacteriostasis rate examination showed that when the mass ratio of PHMB/SF was greater than 1/100, the scaffold exhibited obvious antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. L-929 cells were encapsulated in the PHMB/SF scaffolds and cultured in vitro. SEM, laser scanning confocal microscopy, and CCK-8 assay results demonstrated that hybrid scaffolds with a PHMB/SF ratio of less than 2/100 significantly promoted cell adhesion, spreading, and proliferation. In conclusion, a hybrid scaffold with a PHMB/SF ratio of approximately 2/100 not only effectively inhibited bacterial reproduction but also showed good cytocompatibility and is expected to be usable as a functional antibacterial dressing for wound repair. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Scaffolds Applied in the Biomedical Field)
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21 pages, 3845 KiB  
Article
Effects of Propolis Impregnation on Polylactic Acid (PLA) Scaffolds Loaded with Wollastonite Particles against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Their Coculture for Potential Medical Devices
by Ana Isabel Moreno, Yeison Orozco, Sebastián Ocampo, Sarita Malagón, Alex Ossa, Alejandro Peláez-Vargas, Carlos Paucar, Alex Lopera and Claudia Garcia
Polymers 2023, 15(12), 2629; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15122629 - 09 Jun 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1416
Abstract
Several diseases and injuries cause irreversible damage to bone tissues, which may require partial or total regeneration or replacement. Tissue engineering suggests developing substitutes that may contribute to the repair or regeneration process by using three-dimensional lattices (scaffolds) to create functional bone tissues. [...] Read more.
Several diseases and injuries cause irreversible damage to bone tissues, which may require partial or total regeneration or replacement. Tissue engineering suggests developing substitutes that may contribute to the repair or regeneration process by using three-dimensional lattices (scaffolds) to create functional bone tissues. Herein, scaffolds comprising polylactic acid and wollastonite particles enriched with propolis extracts from the Arauca region of Colombia were developed as gyroid triply periodic minimal surfaces using fused deposition modeling. The propolis extracts exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25175) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228), which cause osteomyelitis. The scaffolds were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, contact angle, swelling, and degradation. Their mechanical properties were assessed using static and dynamic tests. Cell viability/proliferation assay was conducted using hDP-MSC cultures, while their bactericidal properties against monospecies cultures (S. aureus and S. epidermidis) and cocultures were evaluated. The wollastonite particles did not affect the physical, mechanical, or thermal properties of the scaffolds. The contact angle results showed that there were no substantial differences in the hydrophobicity between scaffolds with and without particles. Scaffolds containing wollastonite particles suffered less degradation than those produced using PLA alone. A representative result of the cyclic tests at Fmax = 450 N showed that the maximum strain reached after 8000 cycles is well below the yield strain (i.e., <7.5%), thereby indicating that even under these stringent conditions, these scaffolds will be able to work properly. The scaffolds impregnated with propolis showed a lower % of cell viability using hDP-MSCs on the 3rd day, but these values increased on the 7th day. These scaffolds exhibited antibacterial activity against the monospecies cultures of S. aureus and S. epidermidis and their cocultures. The samples without propolis loads did not show inhibition halos, whereas those loaded with EEP exhibited halos of 17.42 ± 0.2 mm against S. aureus and 12.9 ± 0.5 mm against S. epidermidis. These results made the scaffolds possible bone substitutes that exert control over species with a proliferative capacity for the biofilm-formation processes required for typical severe infectious processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Scaffolds Applied in the Biomedical Field)
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18 pages, 4694 KiB  
Article
Biomineralization in Three-Dimensional Scaffolds Based on Bacterial Nanocellulose for Bone Tissue Engineering: Feature Characterization and Stem Cell Differentiation
by Ana Cañas-Gutiérrez, Lenka Toro, Cristina Fornaguera, Salvador Borrós, Marlon Osorio, Cristina Castro-Herazo and David Arboleda-Toro
Polymers 2023, 15(9), 2012; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15092012 - 24 Apr 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1824
Abstract
Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) has a negative surface charge in physiological environments, which allows the adsorption of calcium ions to initiate the nucleation of different calcium phosphate phases. The aim of this study was to investigate different methods of mineralization in three-dimensional microporous bacterial [...] Read more.
Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) has a negative surface charge in physiological environments, which allows the adsorption of calcium ions to initiate the nucleation of different calcium phosphate phases. The aim of this study was to investigate different methods of mineralization in three-dimensional microporous bacterial nanocellulose with the intention of mimicking the composition, structure, and biomechanical properties of natural bone. To generate the 3D microporous biomaterial, porogen particles were incorporated during BNC fermentation with the Komagataeibacter medellinensis strain. Calcium phosphates (CPs) were deposited onto the BNC scaffolds in five immersion cycles, alternating between calcium and phosphate salts in their insoluble forms. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the scaffolds had different pore sizes (between 70 and 350 µm), and their porous interconnectivity was affected by the biomineralization method and time. The crystals on the BNC surface were shown to be rod-shaped, with a calcium phosphate ratio similar to that of immature bone, increasing from 1.13 to 1.6 with increasing cycle numbers. These crystals also increased in size with an increasing number of cycles, going from 25.12 to 35.9 nm. The main mineral phase observed with X-ray diffraction was octacalcium dihydrogen hexakis phosphate (V) pentahydrate (OCP). In vitro studies showed good cellular adhesion and high cell viability (up to 95%) with all the scaffolds. The osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on the scaffolds was evaluated using bone expression markers, including alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and osteopontin. In conclusion, it is possible to prepare 3D BNC scaffolds with controlled microporosity that allow osteoblast adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Scaffolds Applied in the Biomedical Field)
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16 pages, 6421 KiB  
Article
Influence of Crosslinking Methods on Biomimetically Mineralized Collagen Matrices for Bone-like Biomaterials
by Jeremy Elias, Bobbi-Ann Matheson and Laurie Gower
Polymers 2023, 15(9), 1981; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15091981 - 22 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1449
Abstract
To assist in bone defect repair, ideal bone regeneration scaffolds should exhibit good osteoconductivity and osteoinductivity, but for load-bearing applications, they should also have mechanical properties that emulate those of native bone. The use of biomimetic processing methods for the mineralization of collagen [...] Read more.
To assist in bone defect repair, ideal bone regeneration scaffolds should exhibit good osteoconductivity and osteoinductivity, but for load-bearing applications, they should also have mechanical properties that emulate those of native bone. The use of biomimetic processing methods for the mineralization of collagen fibrils has resulted in interpenetrating composites that mimic the nanostructure of native bone; however, closely matching the mechanical properties of bone on a larger scale is something that is still yet to be achieved. In this study, four different collagen crosslinking methods (EDC-NHS, quercetin, methacrylated collagen, and riboflavin) are compared and combined with biomimetic mineralization via the polymer-induced liquid-precursor (PILP) process, to obtain bone-like collagen-hydroxyapatite composites. Densified fibrillar collagen scaffolds were fabricated, crosslinked, and biomimetically mineralized using the PILP process, and the effect of each crosslinking method on the degree of mineralization, tensile strength, and modulus of the mineralized scaffolds were analyzed and compared. Improved modulus and tensile strength values were obtained using EDC-NHS and riboflavin crosslinking methods, while quercetin and methacrylated collagen resulted in little to no increase in mechanical properties. Decreased mineral contents appear to be necessary for retaining tensile strength, suggesting that mineral content should be kept below a percolation threshold to optimize properties of these interpenetrating nanocomposites. This work supports the premise that a combination of collagen crosslinking and biomimetic mineralization methods may provide solutions for fabricating robust bone-like composites on a larger scale. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Scaffolds Applied in the Biomedical Field)
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