• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.108-115
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• 2018

In bone tissue engineering, polycaprolactone (PCL) is one of the most widely used biomaterials to manufacture scaffolds as a synthetic polymer with biodegradability and biocompatibility. The polymer deposition system (PDS) with four axis heads, which can dispense bio-polymers, has been used in scaffold fabrication for tissue engineering applications. A dual-head deposition technology of PDS is an effective technique to fabricate 3D scaffolds. The electrospinning technology has been widely used to fabricate porous and highly interconnected polymer fibers. Thus, PDS can fabricate nanofiber-combined hybrid scaffolds using fused deposition modeling (FDM) and electrospinning methods. This study aims to fabricate nanofiber-combined scaffolds with uniform nanofibers using PDS. The PCL nanofibers were fabricated and evaluated according to the fabrication process parameters. PCL nanofibers were successfully fabricated when the applied voltage, tip-to-collector distance, flow rate, and solution concentration were 5 kV, 1 cm, 0.1 ml/h, and 8 wt%, respectively. The cell proliferation was evaluated according to the electrospinning time. Scanning electron microscopy was used to acquire images of the cross-sectioned hybrid scaffolds. The cell proliferation test of the PCL and nanofiber-combined hybrid scaffolds was performed using a CCK-8 assay according to the electrospinning time. The result of in-vitro cell proliferation using osteosarcoma MG-63 cells shows that the hybrid scaffold has good potential for bone regeneration.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.371-377
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• 2014

In tissue engineering, a scaffold is a three-dimensional(3D) structure that serves as a template for regeneration the functions of damaged tissues or organs. Among materials for scaffolds, polycaprolactone(PCL) and ${\beta}$-tricalcium phosphate(${\beta}$-TCP) are biodegradable and biocompatible. In this study, we fabricated 3D PCL, blended PCL (60 wt %)/${\beta}$-TCP (40 wt %), and pure ${\beta}$-TCP scaffolds by a multi-head scaffold fabrication system. Scaffolds with a pore size of $600{\pm}20{\mu}m$ was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The effects of 3D PCL, blended PCL (60 wt %)/${\beta}$-TCP (40 wt %) and pure ${\beta}$-TCP scaffolds were analyzed by evaluating their mechanical characteristics. In addition, in an in-vitro study using osteoblast-like saos-2 cells, we confirmed the effects of 3D scaffolds on cellular behaviors such as cell adhesion and proliferation. In summary, the 3D blended PCL (60 wt %)/${\beta}$-TCP (40 wt %) scaffold was found to be suitable for human cancellous bone in terms of its the compressive strength, biocompatibility, and osteoconductivity. Thus, blending PCL and ${\beta}$-TCP could be a promising approach for fabricating 3D scaffolds for effective bone regeneration.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.43.1-43.1
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• 2010

조직공학의 중요한 요소로 작용하는 scaffold는 여러 가지 필수적인 조건들을 만족시켜야 한다. 대표적인 특징들로는 (1)생분해성 및 비독성, (2)넓은 표면적을 갖는 상호 연결된 내부 다공성 구조, (3)구조적 안정성, (4)세포부착 기질의 제공, (5)낮은 면역 반응성, (6)혈전 형성 억제, (7)친수성, (8)생체 기능성 등을 들 수 있다. 이러한 scaffold가 갖추어야 할 특성 중에서 세포 부착 기질 제공을 위하여 scaffold에 표면 개질을 통한 기능기를 도입하였다. 본 연구에서는 BCP scaffold의 구조적 안정성 부여를 위하여 PCL(polycaprolactone)을 infiltration 하였다. PCL은 소수성의 특징을 갖고 있어 세포와 상호작용 할 수 있는 생물학적 반응기가 없기 때문에 세포와의 친화성이 떨어진다. 세포의 친화성을 높여주기 위해 실리콘의 전구체인 TEOS(tetraethly orthosilicate)를 코팅하고, 그 위에 카복실기(carboxylic acid group)를 도입하였다. 또한 세포의 고정화를 높여주기 위해 fibronectin을 코팅하여 BCP/PCL scaffold의 세포 친화성을 높여주었다. 이와 같이 제조된 고기능성 BCP/PCL scaffold의 내부 구조와 특성을 Micro-CT로 확인하였고, 또한 실리콘 코팅 여부를 확인하기 위하여 SEM-EDS를 통해 관찰하였으며, FT-IR 관찰을 통해 카복실기 도입 여부를 확인 하였다. 또한 생체적합성 평가를 위해 MTT assay, 조골세포의 부착에 미치는 영향을 관찰하기 위해 SEM, 조골세포의 유전자 발현에 미치는 영향을 관찰하기 위해 RT-PCR을 통해 확인 하였다.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.41 no.7
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• pp.645-653
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• 2017

In bone tissue engineering, polycaprolactone (PCL) is one of the most widely used biomaterials in the manufacturing of scaffolds as a synthetic polymer having biodegradability and biocompatibility. The strut width in the fabrication of scaffolds is an important part of tissue regeneration in in-vitro and in-vivo experiments, because it affects not only the pore size but also the porosity. In this study, we used polymer deposition system (PDS) and design of experiments (DOE) to explore the optimal process conditions to achieve a systematic and efficient scaffold manufacturing process, using temperature, pressure, scan velocity, and nozzle tip height as the parameters for the experiments. The aim of this research was to fabricate a 3D PCL scaffold having a uniform strut width of $150{\mu}m$ using DOE; it was proved that the strut width was constant in all the experimental groups by fabricating the PCL scaffolds according to various pore patterns as well as one pore pattern.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.86-92
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• 2016

In this study, we used a polymer deposition system, based on fused deposition modeling, to fabricate the 3D scaffold and then fabricated micro-pores on a 3D scaffold using a salt leaching method. Materials included polycaprolactone (PCL) and sodium chloride (NaCl). The 3D porous scaffolds were fabricated according to blending ratio such as PCL (70 wt%)/NaCl (30 wt%) and PCL (50 wt%)/NaCl (50 wt%). The 3D porous scaffolds were observed by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that 3D porous scaffolds had a deposition width of $500{\mu}m$, contained a pore size of $500{\mu}m$ and below $100{\mu}m$. To evaluate the 3D porous scaffolds for bone tissue engineering, we carried out the cell proliferation experiment using a CCK-8 and a mechanical strength test using a universal testing machine. In summary, the 3D porous scaffold was found to be suitable for cancellous bone of human in accordance with the result of in-vitro cell proliferation and mechanical strength. Thus, a 3D porous scaffold could be a promising approach for effective bone regeneration.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.58-65
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• 2016

This study was a preparatory experiment aimed the development of membrane scaffolds for tissue engineering. A PCL composite solution contained sodium chloride(NaCl). PCL porous membrane scaffolds were formed on a glass casting plate using a film applicator and immersed in distilled water to remove the NaCl reaching after drying. NaCl was used as a pore former for a 3 dimensional pore net-work. The dry condition parameters were $4^{\circ}C$, room temperature (RT) and $40^{\circ}C$ for each different temperatures in the drying experiment. SEM revealed the morphology of the pores in the membrane after drying and evaluated the in vitro cytotoxicity for basic bio-compatibility. The macro and micro pores existed together in the scaffold and showed a 3-dimensional pore net-working morphology at RT. The in vitro cytotoxicity test result was "grade 2" in accordance with the criterion for cytotoxicity by ISO 10993-5. The dry condition affected the formation of a 3 dimensional pore network and micro and macro pores. Therefore, these results are expected provide the basic process for the development of porous membrane scaffolds to control degradation and allow drug delivery.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.392-400
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• 2010

The electrospinning process was established as a promising method to fabricate nano and micro-textured scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. A BCP-loaded PCL micro-textured scaffold thus can be a viable option. The biocompatibility as well as the mechanical properties of such scaffold materials should be optimized for this purpose. In this study, a composite scaffold of poly ($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) (PCL)-biphase calcium phosphate (BCP) was successfully fabricated by electrospinning. EDS and XRD data show successful loading of BCP nano particles in the PCL fibers. Morphological characterization of fibers shows that with a higher loaded BCP content the fiber surface was rougher and the diameter was approximately 1 to 7 ${\mu}m$. Tensile modulus and ultimate tensile stress reached their highest values in the PCL- 10 wt% BCP composite. When content of nano ceramic particles was low, they were dispersed in the fibers as reinforcements for the polymer matrix. However, at a high content of ceramic particles, the particles tend to agglomerate and lead to decreasing tensile modulus and ultimate stress of the PCL-BCP composite mats. Therefore, the use of nano BCP content for distribution in fiber polymer using BCP for reinforcement is limited. Tensile strain decreased with increasing content of BCP loading. From in vitro study using MG-63 osteoblast cells and L-929 fibroblast like cells, it was confirmed that electrospun PCL-BCP composite mats were biocompatible and that spreading behavior was good. As BCP content increased, the area of cell spreading on the surface of the mats also increased. Cells showed the best adherence on the surface of composite mats at 50 wt% BCP for both L-929 fibroblast-like cells and MG-63 osteoblast cell. PCL- BCP composites are a promising material for application in bone scaffolds.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.310-316
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• 2020

Background To produce patient-specific nasal implants, it is necessary to harvest and grow autologous cartilage. It is crucial to the proliferation and growth of these cells for scaffolds similar to the extracellular matrix to be prepared. The pore size of the scaffold is critical to cell growth and interaction. Thus, the goal of this study was to determine the optimal pore size for the growth of chondrocytes and fibroblasts. Methods Porous disc-shaped scaffolds with 100-, 200-, 300-, and 400-㎛ pores were produced using polycaprolactone (PCL). Chondrocytes and fibroblasts were cultured after seeding the scaffolds with these cells, and morphologic evaluation was performed on days 2, 14, 28, and 56 after cell seeding. On each of those days, the number of viable cells was evaluated quantitatively using an MTT assay. Results The number of cells had moderately increased by day 28. This increase was noteworthy for the 300- and 400-㎛ pore sizes for fibroblasts; otherwise, no remarkable difference was observed at any size except the 100-㎛ pore size for chondrocytes. By day 56, the number of cells was observed to increase with pore size, and the number of chondrocytes had markedly increased at the 400-㎛ pore size. The findings of the morphologic evaluation were consistent with those of the quantitative evaluation. Conclusions Experiments using disc-type PCL scaffolds showed (via both morphologic and quantitative analysis) that chondrocytes and fibroblasts proliferated most extensively at the 400-㎛ pore size in 56 days of culture.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.618-626
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• 2019

Stem cell therapy is not expected to bestow any therapeutic benefit because of the low engraftment rates after transplantation.Various cell-carrying scaffolds have been developed in order to overcome this problem. When the scaffold is formed by 3-dimensional (3D) printing, it is possible to create various shapes of scaffolds for specific regions of injury. At the same time, scaffolds provide stem cells as therapeutic-agents and mechanically support an injured region. PCL is not only cost effective, but it is also a widely used material for 3D printing. Therefore, rapid and economical technology development can be achieved when PCL is printed and used as a cell carrier. Yet PCL materials do not perform well as cell carriers, and only a few cells survive on the PCL surface. In this study, we tried to determine the conditions that maximize the cell-loading capacity on the PCL surface to overcome this issue. By applying a plasma treated condition and then collagen coating known to improve the cell loading capacity, it was confirmed that the 3% collagen coating after plasma treatment showed the best cell engraftment capacity during 72 hours after cell loading. By applying the spheroid cell culture method and scaffold structure change, which can affect the cell loading ability, the spheroid cell culture methods vastly improved cell engraftment, and the scaffold structure did not affect the cell engraftment properties. We will conduct further experiments using PCL material as a cell carrier and as based the excellent results of this study.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.271-275
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• 2015

The aim of this study was to develop a multi-nozzle based bioprinting system for fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) biological structure. In this study, a thermoplastic biomaterial that has relatively high mechanical stability, polycaprolactone (PCL) was used to make the 3D structure. A multi-nozzle bioprinting system was designed to dispense thermoplastic biomaterial and hydrogel simultaneously. The system that consists of 3-axes of x-y-z motion control stage and a compartment for injection syringe control mounted on the stage has been developed. Also, it has 1-axis actuator for position change of nozzle. The controllability of the printed line width with PCL was tested as a representative performance index.