• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.38-43
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• 2021

Photocurable hydrogels are widely used as 3D printing materials in tissue engineering (e.g., scaffold fabrication) as well as optical fibers (or optical sensors) materials. Photocurable hydrogels can control optical and mechanical properties such as chemical or fabrication conditions. In previous research, we introduced a new 3D printing method to fabricate a freestanding overhanging hydrogel structure without supporting structure. This study was measured and analyzed the difference of the mechanical properties of the photocurable hydrogel according to the light intensity using a micro tensile tester. In practically, it was difficult to perform a direct tensile test on a micro (less than 1 mm) size fiber. In this study, the tensile test of the hydrogel fibers could be measured simply and repeatedly using a paper carrier.

• Carbon letters
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.139-150
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• 2012

Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), PLLA/hydroxyapatite (HA), PLLA/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs)/HA, PLLA/trifluoroethanol (TFE), PLLA/gelatin, and carbon nanofibers (CNFs)/${\beta}$-tricalcium phosphate (${\beta}$-TCP) composite membranes (scaffolds) were fabricated by electrospinning and their morphologies, and mechanical properties were characterized for use in bone tissue regeneration/guided tissue regeneration. MWNTs and HA nanoparticles were well distributed in the membranes and the degradation characteristics were improved. PLLA/MWNTs/HA membranes enhanced the adhesion and proliferation of periodontal ligament cells (PDLCs) by 30% and inhibited the adhesion of gingival epithelial cells by 30%. Osteoblast-like MG-63 cells on the randomly fiber oriented PLLA/TEF membrane showed irregular forms, while the cells exhibited shuttle-like shapes on the parallel fiber oriented membrane. Classical supersaturated simulated body fluids were modified by $CO_2$ bubbling and applied to promote the biomineralization of the PLLA/gelatin membrane; this resulted in predictions of bone bonding bioactivity of the substrates. The ${\beta}$-TCP membranes exhibit good biocompatibility, have an effect on PDLC growth comparable to that of pure CNF membrane, and can be applied as scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.186-194
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• 2016

In this study, a co-axial flow induced microfluidic chip to fabricate pure collagen type I microfiber via the control of collagen type I and Na-alginate gelation process. The pure collagen type I microfiber was generated by selective degradation of Ca-alginate from 'Core-Shell' structured hydrogel microfiber. To make 'Core-Shell' structure, collagen type I solution was introduced into core channel and 1.5% Na-alginate solution was injected into side channel in microfluidic chip. To evaluatethe 'Core-Shell' structure, the red and green fluorescence substances were mixed into collagen type I and Na-alginate solution, respectively. The fluorescence substances were uniformly loaded into each fiber, and the different fluorescence images were dependent on their location. By immoblizing EpH4-Ras and C6 cells within collagen type I and Na-alginate solution, we sucessfully demonstrated the co-culture of EpH4-Ras and C6 cells with 'Core-Shell' like hydrogel microfiber for 5 days. Only to produce pure collagen type I hydrogel fiber, tri-sodium citrate solution was used to dissolve the shell-like Ca-alginate hydrogel fiber from 'Core-Shell' structured hydrogel microfiber, which is an excellent advantage when the fiber is employed in three-dimensional scaffold. This novel method could apply various application in tissue engineering and biomedical engineering.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.252-252
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• 2006

Utilizing the existence of the induction period in photo-polymerization, we propose a new injection method of photo-polymerizable, thermocrosslinking hydrogels made of di-acrylated Pluronic F127 (DA-PF127). This method can solve the problem of fast dissolution of thermal gelation as a scaffold and the disadvantages of the existing injection method that photo-polymerize di-acrylated Pluronic polymer after injection using optical fiber. Injectable gelation of DA-PF127 by the proposed method was demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. The enhanced stability by this novel photo-polymerization strategy was confirmed by the more sustained release of loaded protein as well as the prolonged degradation time of the hydrogels.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.431-433
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• 2011

Alginate microfibers were fabricated by self assembly of alginate monomers exuded from alginate beads (~2 mm in diameter) containing calcium phosphate. Upon incubation of the beads in cell culture medium at $37^{\circ}C$ for a few days, fibers with a diameter of about $7{\mu}m$ started to sprout from the bead surface, and these grew up to about 10 mm in length, resulting in the beads being covered with fiber forests similar to chestnut bur. The combined system of the alginatebased microfiber forest and bead is considered to be useful as a novel 3-dimensional scaffold for cell culture and tisssue growth.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.46-52
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• 2006

High-density micromass culture was needed to take three dimensions culture with ASCs(adipose derived stromal cells) and chondrogenesis. However, the synthetic polymer has hydrophobic character and low affinity to cells and other biomolecules. Therefore, the surface modification without changes of physical and chemical properties is necessary for more suitable condition to cells and biomolecules. This study was performed to investigate the effect of surface modification of poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid)(PLGA) scaffold by plasma treatment (P(+)) on the adhesion, proliferation and chondrogenesis of ASCs, and not plasma treatment (P(-)). ASCs were isolated from human subcutaneous adipose tissue obtained by lipectomy and liposuction. At 1 hour 30 minutes and 3days after cell seeding onto the P(-) group and the P(+) group, total DNA amount of attached and proliferated ASCs markedly increased in the P(+) group (p < 0.05). The changes of the actin under confocal microscope were done for evaluation of cellular affinity, at 1 hour 30 minutes, the shape of the cells was spherical form in all group. At 3rd day, the shape of the cells was fiber network form and finely arranged in P(+) group rather than in P(-) group. RT-PCR analysis of cartilage-specific type II collagen and link protein were expressed in 1, 2 weeks of induction. Amount of Glycoaminoglycan (GAG) markedly increased in P(+) group(p < 0.05). In a week, extracellular matrix was not observed in the Alcian blue and Safranin O staining. However in 2 weeks, it was observed that sulfated proteoglycan increased in P(+) group rather than in P(-) group. In conclusion, we recognized that plasma treatment of PLGA scaffold could increase the hydrophilic property of cells, and provide suitable environment for high-density micromass culture to chondrogenesis

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.585-593
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• 2015

Stress fiber (SF) alteration is mediated by cellular receptors, which, upon interaction with the extracellular counterpart, signal to the actin cytoskeleton for remodeling. This association is mediated by a variety of scaffold and signaling factors, which control the mechanical and signaling activities of the interaction site. The heterotrimeric transmembrane lymphotoxin α1β2 (LTα1β2), a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family of cytokines, including soluble homotrimeric lymphotoxin (LT α), plays an important role in lymphoid tissue architecture. Ligation between LTα1β2 and the lymphotoxin β receptor (LTβR) activates signal-cascade in fibroblastic reticular cells (FRCs). We found LTβR stimulation using an agonistic anti-LTβR antibody alone or combined with LTα or TNFα induced changes in the actin and plasticity of cells. To clarify the involvement of myosin underlying the alteration, we analyzed the effect of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) with an MLCK inhibitor (ML7), the phosphorylation level of myosin light chains (MLC), and the level of phospho-myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 (MYPT1) after treatment with an agonistic anti-LTβR antibody for cytoskeleton reorganization in FRCs. The inhibition of MLCK activity induced changes in the actin cytoskeleton organization and cell morphology in FRC. In addition, we showed the phosphorylation of MLC and MYPT1 was reduced by LTβR stimulation in cells. A DNA chip revealed the LTβR stimulation of FRC down-regulated transcripts of myosin and actin components. Collectively, these results suggest LTβR stimulation is linked to myosin regarding SF alteration in FRC.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.59-69
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• 2021

Electrospinning is a cost-effective and versatile method for producing submicron fibers. Although this method is relatively simple, at the theoretical level the interactions between process parameters and their influence on the fiber morphology are not yet fully understood. In this paper, the aim was finding optimal electrospinning parameters in order to obtain the smallest fiber diameter by using Taguchi's methodology. The nanofibers produced by electrospinning a solution of Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) in Dimethylformamide (DMF). Polymer concentration and process parameters were considered as the effective factors. Taguchi's L9 orthogonal design (4 parameters, 3 levels) was applied to the experiential design. Optimal electrospinning conditions were determined using the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio with Minitab 17 software. The morphology of the nanofibers was studied by a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Thereafter, a tensile tester machine was used to assess mechanical properties of nanofibrous scaffolds. The analysis of DoE experiments showed that TPU concentration was the most significant parameter. An optimum combination to reach smallest diameters was yielded at 12 wt% polymer concentration, 16 kV of the supply voltage, 0.1 ml/h feed rate and 15 cm tip-to-distance. An empirical model was extracted and verified using confirmation test. The average diameter of nanofibers at the optimum conditions was in the range of 242.10 to 257.92 nm at a confidence level 95% which was in close agreement with the predicted value by the Taguchi technique. Also, the mechanical properties increased with decreasing fibers diameter. This study demonstrated Taguchi method was successfully applied to the optimization of electrospinning conditions for TPU nanofibers and the presented scaffold can mimic the structure of Extracellular Matrix (ECM).

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.239-243
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• 2005

Periosteum-derived progenitor cells (PDPCs) were isolated and characterized by flow cytometric analysis using fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). The chondrogenesis of PDPCs was performed on hyaluronic acid fibers ($Hyalrograft^{\circledR}$) 3D) in chondrogenic induction medium. PDPCs showed the chondrogenic potential when cultured on hyaluronic acid fibers. These results showed that the characterized PDPCs were the chondrogenic progenitor cells and $Hyalrograft^{\circledR}$ 3D served as a useful carrier for PDPCs in transplantation proliferation, matrix synthesis and differentiation. Therefore, it could be used as a matrix for healing the defected cartilage.

• Carbon letters
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2014

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with diameters in the submicron and nanometer range exhibit high specific surface area, hierarchically porous structure, flexibility, and super strength which allow them to be used in the electrode materials of energy storage devices, and as hybrid-type filler in carbon fiber reinforced plastics and bone tissue scaffold. Unlike catalytic synthesis and other methods, electrospinning of various polymeric precursors followed by stabilization and carbonization has become a straightforward and convenient way to fabricate continuous CNFs. This paper is a comprehensive and brief review on the latest advances made in the development of electrospun CNFs with major focus on the promising applications accomplished by appropriately regulating the microstructural, mechanical, and electrical properties of as-spun CNFs. Additionally, the article describes the various strategies to make a variety of carbon CNFs for energy conversion and storage, catalysis, sensor, adsorption/separation, and biomedical applications. It is envisioned that electrospun CNFs will be the key materials of green science and technology through close collaborations with carbon fibers and carbon nanotubes.