Rasekh, M; (2012) Ordered Architectures for Biomedical Topographies and Tissue Engineering. Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London).

Abstract

A recently developed electrohydrodynamic direct-write printing method which can be applied to all types of materials and used to create ordered structures and complex patterns using coarse processing needles is described. Utilising co-axial flow of materials has been successful in enabling encapsulated structures to be generated by this technique. Topography is a crucial physical cue in influencing cellular responses and should be considered when designing biomedical architectures. Electrohydrodynamic printing is used in this work to generate ordered topographies with proven biomaterials. By coupling this method with solvent evaporation techniques, desirable scaffold properties can be achieved. These novel areas will offer much greater control over the forming of a plethora of micro- and nano-scaled structures and is essential for topographic studies (e.g. of living cells), novel particle preparation methods, coatings and direct writing of biomaterials. Few studies have evaluated the early stages of cell attachment and migration on the surface of biomaterials, partly due to a lack of suitable techniques. One of the major aims of this study was to use time-lapse microscopy to evaluate the behaviour of fibroblasts cultured with polycaprolactone microfibers and to assess spatially and temporally, the cell-microfiber interaction over a 24 hours period. Ordered polymeric structures were printed onto glass substrates using electrohydrodynamic printing to produce fine microfibers according to a predetermined architecture. Fibroblast attachment and migration was characterized as a function of distance from microfibers. The use of time-lapse microscopy revealed a gradual decrease in cell attachment as the distance from the structures was increased. The technique also revealed interesting cell behaviour once attached to the structures that would otherwise have been missed with standard microscopy techniques. The findings demonstrate time-lapse microscopy is a useful technique for evaluating early stage cell-biomaterial interaction that is capable of recording important events that might otherwise be overlooked.

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