Tissue engineering of the naturally-derived scaffold with adjustable mechanical properties, modified surface chemistry, and interconnected pore

Less than half of patients have chronic diseases, but their treatment accounts for over 75% of healthcare spending. Regeneration and replacement strategies are the only long-term treatment options for many chronic diseases. The success of tissue regeneration and replacement methods depends upon the development of scaffolds that mimic the native extracellular matrix, support the growth and organization of cells into tissue, and integrate properly with host tissue. The naturally-derived scaffold is made of demineralized cancellous bone which is a strong but flexible, porous material composed primarily of Type I collagen. Since the scaffold can be derived from varying cancellous bone sources, characterization of site differences has the potential to further inform scaffold design. Mechanical characterization of site differences and crosslinking involved compressive and tensile testing as well as permeability and degradation experiments. Proper cell interactions and nutrient transport are primary scaffold requirements that were also investigated. The surface chemistry of the naturally-derived scaffold was altered to promote specific cell interactions. Additionally, the naturally-derived scaffold can provide mechanical support for polymer gels. With adjustable mechanical properties and tunable cell interactions along with the option to accommodate polymer gel strategies, the scaffold has the potential to support diverse tissue engineering goals. This research has laid the foundation for continued work in the specific applications of blood vessel and liver replacement to address common chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis and cirrhosis.