• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.44-51
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• 2019

With the goal of tissue regeneration for organs damaged through an accident or a disease, research on tissue engineering has been conducted to produce 3-D scaffolds that can support the cells in the attachment and growth for the cell proliferation and differentiation. A scaffold requires a suitable pore size and porosity to increase the nutrient circulation or oxygen supply for the attachment and growth of cells. The existing production methods such as solvent-casting particulate leaching, phase separation, and fiber bonding have certain disadvantages. With these methods, it is difficult to obtain a free desired shape. In addition, certain pore sizes and interconnectivities among the pores may not be guaranteed. To solve these problems, this study has fabricated a scaffold with a 3-D shaped nose using Alginate, which is a natural polymer obtained through Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), one of the CAD/CAM-based Solid Freeform Fabrication (SFF) methods.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.92-97
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• 2019

In this paper, we investigated the problems and solutions in the production of scaffolds using commercially available FDM 3D printers. We used ADRIGE TRIZ algorithm to systematically analyze the problems and suggest solutions. We printed scaffolds using suggested solutions. We measured the pore size and printing time of the scaffolds. We have confirmed that the printing precision is greater than 99% and the printing time is decreased by half. The suggested solutions proved its validity through experiments and showed satisfactory results.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.1415-1418
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• 2008

Scaffold fabrication for regenerating functional human tissues has an important role in tissue engineering, and there has been much progress in research on scaffold fabrication. However, current methods are limited by the mechanical properties of existing biodegradable materials and the irregular structures that they produce. Recently, Solid freeform fabrication (SFF) technology was remarked by fabricating 3D free-form micro-structures. Among SFF technologies, we tried to fabricate scaffolds using micro-stereolithography which contain the highest resolution of all SFF technologies and precision deposition system which can use various biomaterials. And we developed the CAD/CAM system to automate the process of scaffold fabrication and fabricate the patient customized scaffolds. These results showed the unlimited possibilities of our SFF technologies in tissue engineering.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.1692-1696
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• 2008

In this paper, we characterize the mechanical properties of PCL strand which is made by oscillating nozzle for tissue engineering scaffold. In order to increase the mechanical properties of the PCL strand, we designed an oscillating nozzle system for the 3D plotting system. First, we check the effect of the nozzle speed (3 to 8 mm/sec), frequency (0 or 300 Hz) and the oscillating amplitude (0 or 100 V) on the diameter of the PCL strand. Second, we observe the effect of the frequency (0, 100, 200 and 300 Hz) and the oscillating amplitude (0, 50 and 100 V) on the mechanical property of PCL strand. The mechanical properties and surface morphology of PCL strand made by oscillating nozzle are compared with the PCL strand made by normal nozzle using Nano-UTM and SEM.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.56.2-56.2
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• 2012

Clinically-favored materials for bone regeneration are mainly based on bioceramics due to their chemical similarity to the mineral phase of bone. A successful scaffold in bone regeneration should have a 3D interconnected pore structure with the proper biodegradability, biocompatibility, bioactivity, and mechanical property. The pore architecture and mechanical properties mainly dependent on the fabrication process. Bioceramics scaffolds are fabricated by polymer sponge method, freeze drying, and melt molding process in general. However, these typical processes have some shortcomings in both the structure and interconnectivity of pores and in controlling the mechanical stability. To overcome this limitation, the rapid prototyping (RP) technique have newly proposed. Researchers have suggested RP system in fabricating bioceramics scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration using selective laser sintering, powder printing with an organic binder to form green bodies prior to sintering. Meanwhile, sintering process in high temperature leads to bad cost performance, unexpected crystallization, unstable mechanical property, and low bio-functional performance. The development of RP process without high thermal treatment is especially important to enhance biofunctional performance of scaffold. The purpose of this study is development of new process to fabricate ceramic scaffold at room temperature. The structural properties of the scaffolds were analyzed by XRD, FE-SEM and TEM studies. The biological performance of the scaffolds was also evaluated by monitoring the cellular activity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.103-104
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• 2008

• Design & Manufacturing
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.11-16
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• 2021

Recently, three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems, which are superior to conventional two-dimensional (2D) vascular systems that mimic the in vivo environment, are being actively studied to reproduce drug responses and cell differentiation in organisms. Conventional two-dimensional cell culture methods (scaffold-based and non-scaffold-based) have a limited cell growth rate because the culture cannot supply the culture medium as consistently as microvessels. To solve this problem, we would like to propose a 3D culture system with an environment similar to living cells by continuously supplying the culture medium to the bottom of the 3D cell support. The 3D culture system is a structure in which microvascular structures are combined under a scaffold (agar, collagen, etc.) where cells can settle and grow. First, we have manufactured molds for the formation of four types of microvessel-mimicking chips: width / height ①100 ㎛ / 100 ㎛, ②100 ㎛ / 50 ㎛, ③ 150 ㎛ / 100 ㎛, and ④ 200 ㎛ / 100 ㎛. By injection molding, four types of microfluidic chips were made with GPPS (general purpose polystyrene), and a 100㎛-thick PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) film was attached to the top of each microfluidic chip. As a result of observing the flow of the culture medium in the microchannel, it was confirmed that when the aspect ratio (height/width) of the microchannel is 1.5 or more, the fluid flows from the inlet to the outlet without a backflow phenomenon. In addition, the culture efficiency experiments of colorectal cancer cells (SW490) were performed in a 3D culture system in which PDMS films with different pore diameters (1/25/45 ㎛) were combined on a microfluidic chip. As a result, it was found that the cell growth rate increased up to 1.3 times and the cell death rate decreased by 71% as a result of the 3D culture system having a hole membrane with a diameter of 10 ㎛ or more compared to the conventional commercial. Based on the results of this study, it is possible to expand and build various 3D cell culture systems that can maximize cell culture efficiency by cell type by adjusting the shape of the microchannel, the size of the film hole, and the flow rate of the inlet.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.70-76
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• 2022

Calcium-phosphate-based bioceramics are promising biomaterials for scaffolds because they can assist in bone regeneration. In this study, a laser sintering deposition system was developed, and 3D hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds were fabricated. The main process conditions of the HA scaffolds were laser power, table velocity, and laser focal distance. As the laser power increased, the line width, line height, and layer thickness also increased. Further, the line width, line height, and layer thickness decreased as the table velocity increased. As the laser focal distance increased, the line width increased, but the line height and layer thickness decreased. The fabricated green scaffolds were sintered at 1050 ℃ and 1150 ℃. The sintered scaffolds had a uniform and continuous interconnected shape, with pore sizes ranging from 850 to 950 ㎛ having 53% porosity. The compressive strength of the scaffolds decreased from 0.72 MPa (1050 ℃) to 0.53 MPa (1150 ℃). The biocompatibility of the scaffolds was investigated by analyzing the adhesion of osteoblast-like MG-63 cells cultured on the surfaces of the scaffolds. The results indicate that the scaffold sintered at 1050 ℃ had good mechanical and biological properties compared to that at 1150 ℃.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2013

In this study, diffusion coefficients of 20 kDa FITC-dextran in 2% agarose gel with different cell concentrations were measured using fiberoptic-based fluorescence recovery after photobleaching technique. As increasing cell concentration suspended in agarose gel, the diffusion coefficients were decreased. The diffusion coefficient of agarose gel which contains $10{\times}10^6$ cells/ml was decreased to 11% that of in agarose gel without cells. The distribution of fluorescence dye in 3D scaffold was also simulated. The simulation result shows that the diffusion coefficient is more significant factor than the scaffold structure.

• BMB Reports
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• v.57 no.9
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• pp.381-387
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• 2024

The nucleus, a highly organized and dynamic organelle, plays a crucial role in regulating cellular processes. During cell differentiation, profound changes occur in gene expression, chromatin organization, and nuclear morphology. This review explores the intricate relationship between nuclear architecture and cellular function, focusing on the roles of the nuclear lamina, nuclear pore complexes (NPCs), sub-nuclear bodies, and the nuclear scaffold. These components collectively maintain nuclear integrity, organize chromatin, and interact with key regulatory factors. The dynamic remodeling of chromatin, its interactions with nuclear structures, and epigenetic modifications work in concert to modulate gene accessibility and ensure precise spatiotemporal control of gene expression. The nuclear lamina stabilizes nuclear shape and is associated with inactive chromatin regions, while NPCs facilitate selective transport. Sub-nuclear bodies contribute to genome organization and gene regulation, often by influencing RNA processing. The nuclear scaffold provides structural support, impacting 3D genome organization, which is crucial for proper gene expression during differentiation. This review underscores the significance of nuclear architecture in regulating gene expression and guiding cell differentiation. Further investigation into nuclear structure and 3D genome organization will deepen our understanding of the mechanisms governing cell fate determination.