Nanostructural features of contacts of fibroblasts with dual-scale bioсompatible polyurethane scaffold

Abstract

This paper presents a study of nanostructural features of contacts of bioprinted tissue spheroids with polyurethane dual scale biocompatible scaffold made by three-dimensional printing and electrospinning. Analysis of nanostructural features of cell contacts was carryed out by scanning probe microscopy with use of experimental setup combining ultramicrotome and scanning probe microscope. Measured mean cell volume is 460 ± 104 μm³, mean contact area of cells with scaffold fibers–104.8 μm² per cell (16.7% of total cell area). Maximum distance of migrating cells from spheroid border at 48 h. is ~200 μm, what corresponds to mean velocity of cell migration more than 4 μm/h. Obtained quantitative characteristics of micro- and nanostructure of human fibroblast cell contacts with elecrospun polyurethane scaffold secure high efficacy of tissue regeneration with its usage for implanted bioprinted dual scale tissue-engineered scaffolds.