3D Printed Magneto-Active Microfiber Scaffolds for Remote Stimulation and Guided Organization of 3D In Vitro Skeletal Muscle Models.

This work reports the rational design and fabrication of magneto-active microfiber meshes with controlled hexagonal microstructures via melt electrowriting (MEW) of a magnetized polycaprolactone-based composite. In situ iron oxide nanoparticle deposition on oxidized graphene yields homogeneously dispersed magnetic particles with sizes above 0.5 µm and low aspect ratio, preventing cellular internalization and toxicity.

The Mechanical Performance of Recycled Slate Waste Fiber Composites Based on Unsaturated Polyester Resins.

In the last few decades, there has been increasing social awareness for environmental conservation, which is driving the development of composite materials based on natural fibers. These new materials have interesting properties that allow for their use in a variety of applications. This study deals with the development of composite materials based on unsaturated polyester resins reinforced with recycled mineral fibers, such as slate fibers obtained from slate production waste, which have similar properties to glass fiber.

Topographic Guidance in Melt-Electrowritten Tubular Scaffolds Enhances Engineered Kidney Tubule Performance.

To date, tubular tissue engineering relies on large, non-porous tubular scaffolds (Ø > 2 mm) for mechanical self-support, or smaller (Ø 150-500 μm) tubes within bulk hydrogels for studying renal transport phenomena. To advance the engineering of kidney tubules for future implantation, constructs should be both self-supportive and yet small-sized and highly porous. Here, we hypothesize that the fabrication of small-sized porous tubular scaffolds with a highly organized fibrous microstructure by means of melt-electrowriting (MEW) allows the development of self-supported kidney proximal tubules with enhanced properties.

Hydrogel-Based Bioinks for Cell Electrowriting of Well-Organized Living Structures with Micrometer-Scale Resolution.

Bioprinting has become an important tool for fabricating regenerative implants and cell culture platforms. However, until today, extrusion-based bioprinting processes are limited to resolutions of hundreds of micrometers, which hamper the reproduction of intrinsic functions and morphologies of living tissues. This study describes novel hydrogel-based bioinks for cell electrowriting (CEW) of well-organized cell-laden fiber structures with diameters ranging from 5 to 40 μm.

Melt electrowriting onto anatomically relevant biodegradable substrates: Resurfacing a diarthrodial joint.

Three-dimensional printed hydrogel constructs with well-organized melt electrowritten (MEW) fibrereinforcing scaffolds have been demonstrated as a promising regenerative approach to treat small cartilage defects. Here, we investige how to translate the fabrication of small fibre-reinforced structures on flat surfaces to anatomically relevant structures. In particular, the accurate deposition of MEW-fibres onto curved surfaces of conductive and non-conductive regenerative biomaterials is studied.