Human Adipose Tissue Derived ECM Based Composites for Tissue Engineering Applications

Abstract

The present study describes the preparation of extracellular matrix (ECM) based composite films, porous scaffolds, nanofibers and alginate beads for tissue engineering applications. The porous ECM-chitosan composite scaffolds were fabricated by freeze drying method for large soft tissue defects. The ECM composite injectable micro-beads were prepared by incorporating ECM within alginate by aid of centrifugal force for soft tissue engineering application. The ECM composite films were prepared by varying the ECM concentration in sodium alginate and chitosan for by solvent casting method for development of wound dressing materials. The ECMPVA, ECM-chitosan-PVA composite electrospun fibers were fabricated using free surface electrospinning technique for use in tissue engineering applications. The interactions amongst the composites were analyzed by FTIR and XRD studies. It was noticed that the porous scaffold were bio-compatible and with increase in chitosan content the pore size decreased as observed in electron microscope. The injectable microbeads can be fabricated using a 250 µm diameter needle at 1000 rpm in bucket centrifuge, with 3 % alginate and 100 mM of calcium chloride with 0.1 % tween 80 as surfactant to reduce the coalescence of the formed beads. The films were thoroughly characterized for surface hydrophilicity, moisture retention capability, water vapor permeability, mechanical and biocompatibility. The mechanical properties suggested that the composite films had sufficient properties to be used for wound dressing applications. The ECM composite based electrospun fibers were formed at a working distance of 16cm and a working voltage of greater than or equal to 55 kV. It was noticed that with 10% PVA, and ECM concentration of 100mg/mL, with 0.02% SDS it was electrospinnable and the average fiber thickness was found to be 198±28 nm. With incorporation of chitosan, the ECM-PVA-chitosan solution was electrospinnable in 0.5M acetic acid and the average fiber thickness was found to be 356 ± 65 nm. Thus the ECM was successfully electrospun with the incorporation of chitosan and PVA to enhance the electrospinnablity of the ECM for development of ECM composite electrospun fiber for tissue engineering application.