Vapor-phased fabrication and modulation of cell-laden scaffolding materials

Current methods for the modular assembly of biomaterials are associated with limitations. Here the authors implement vapor-phase deposition to fabricate 3D polymeric materials that permit biomolecule functionalization, tunable mass transport and mechanical properties, as well as control over boundaries between compartments, and analyze the behavior of 3D encapsulated cells. Bottom-up approaches using building blocks of modules to fabricate scaffolds for tissue engineering applications have enabled the fabrication of structurally complex and multifunctional materials allowing for physical and chemical flexibility to better mimic the native extracellular matrix. Here we report a vapor-phased fabrication process for constructing three-dimensional modulated scaffold materials via simple steps based on controlling mass transport of vapor sublimation and deposition. We demonstrate the fabrication of scaffolds comprised of multiple biomolecules and living cells with built-in boundaries separating the distinct compartments containing defined biological configurations and functions. We show that the fabricated scaffolds have mass production potential. We demonstrate overall >80% cell viability of encapsulated cells and that modulated scaffolds exhibit enhanced cell proliferation, osteogenesis, and neurogenesis, which can be assembled into various geometric configurations. We perform cell co-culture experiments to show independent osteogenesis and angiogenesis activities from separate compartments in one scaffold construct.

Automated summary

Current methods for modular assembly of biomaterials have limitations, but the vapor-phase deposition technique presented in this study allows for the fabrication of 3D polymeric materials with biomolecule functionalization, tunable mass transport, and mechanical properties control. The modular scaffolds fabricated demonstrated high cell viability, enhanced cell proliferation, osteogenesis, and neurogenesis, as well as the potential for mass production. Additionally, the scaffolds enabled independent activities of osteogenesis and angiogenesis in separate compartments within the same construct.