Description:
Inventors have developed a biofabrication platform that can be tuned to mimic the native in vivo architecture and geometries vital to the physiological function of tissue. The inventors use a new material for molding intrinsic geometries to an in vitro collagen hydrogel by allowing the adequate transfer of the specific architectural features to a natural scaffold material. The biofabrication platform utilizes state of the art imaging, micromachining, and selective enzymatic activity in order to achieve a new generation of biomaterials for research and clinical applications. The biomaterials have a true 3D architecture, and are created with flow channels or tissue voids that replicate functionality of the native tissue. To date, inventors have developed a 3D branched vessel using type I collagen with cultured vascular endothelial or pluripotent bone marrow stromal cells on the exterior surface, as well as within in the interior channels and voids.
Overview: The field of tissue engineering has created a great demand for the next generation of biomaterials and biofabrication techniques for tissue scaffolds. A suitable tissue scaffold has a 3D structure, is composed of biocompatible materials, and mimics in vivo tissue architectures to facilitate cell and tissue growth and remodel. One of the main obstacles in the production of these scaffolds is the ability to produce specific geometrical features into a biocompatible material. Several biofabrication techniques have been reported in order to control the geometrical features of these scaffolds such as electrospinning, solvent-casting, stereolitography, 3D printing, among others. However, these techniques fall short in providing a relatively easy transfer of controllable architectural features, are expensive, or require a long period of time to produce viable scaffolds. As such, a need exists for methods of re-creating the in vivo architecture and vasculogenesis in the extracellular matrix and in vivo tissues. This new biofabrication technique, along with proprietary tunable biomaterials, will accelerate discoveries in the field of regenerative medicine by facilitating the regeneration of lost or malformed soft tissues
Applications: Tissue engineering, regenerative medicine
Advantages: Biomaterials that recapitulate the intrinsic architecture of in vivo tissue
Key Words: Biomimetic, collagen, tissue engineering
Publications: Rodriguez-Rivera, Veronica, John W. Weidner, and Michael J. Yost. "Three-dimensional Biomimetic Technology: Novel Biorubber Creates Defined Micro-and Macro-scale Architectures in Collagen Hydrogels." JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments) 108 (2016): e53578-e53578.
Inventors: Michael Yost & Veronica Rodriguez-Rivera
Patent Status: US 15/514,091
MUSC-FRD Technology ID: P1518