Direct laser writing of 3D scaffolds for neural tissue engineering applications

Abstract

This study reports on the production of high-resolution 3D structures of polylactide-based materials via multi-photon polymerization and explores their use as neural tissue engineering scaffolds. To achieve this, a liquid polylactide resin was synthesized in house and rendered photocurable via attaching methacrylate groups to the hydroxyl end groups of the small molecular weight prepolymer. This resin cures easily under UV irradiation, using a mercury lamp, and under femtosecond IR irradiation. The results showed that the photocurable polylactide (PLA) resin can be readily structured via direct laser write (DLW) with a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser and submicrometer structures can be produced. The maximum resolution achieved is 800 nm. Neuroblastoma cells were grown on thin films of the cured PLA material, and cell viability and proliferation assays revealed good biocompatibility of the material. Additionally, PC12 and NG108-15 neuroblastoma growth on bespoke scaffolds was studied in more detail to assess potential applications for neuronal implants of this material.

In Vitro Modeling of Tissue-Specific 3D Microenvironments and Possibile Application to Pediatric Cancer Research

“…Besides the common matrices, new biomolecules have been explored, such as the bacterial nanocellulose, excreted by Gluconacetobacter xylinus [310], or synthesized materials such as poly (L-lactic acid) PLL [311], photocurable polylactide (PLA) resin [312], poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) acid [313], carbon structures [314] or polymeric microspheres [315]. However, the main applicative field, by using these new materials, is not the NBL cancer research, but the neural tissue engineering, thanks to the properties of NBL cells to form neuron-like tissues.…”

3D Microporous Scaffolds Manufactured via Combination of Fused Filament Fabrication and Direct Laser Writing Ablation

“…Studies where high resolution 3D structures of polylactide-based materials structured via DLW lithography were applied as neural tissue engineering scaffolds have been reported. Neuroblastoma cell growth on such scaffolds shows the potential applications of this material for neuronal implants [41]. In principle, FFF allows the incorporation of nanoparticles in the material, which could add new properties and functionalities.…”

Direct laser writing by two-photon polymerization as a tool for developing microenvironments for evaluation of bacterial growth

“…An interesting approach is based on doping the host resin used in the 2PP with compounds of interest (organic dyes and bioactive agents). Such approach enables the fabrication of devices with specific characteristics for different areas of optics [8][9][10] and biology [11][12][13][14][15][16]. Furthermore, the manufacture of components using 2PP can be carried out in stages, allowing the fabrication of microdevices with multi-doping components [17].…”

“…Furthermore, the manufacture of components using 2PP can be carried out in stages, allowing the fabrication of microdevices with multi-doping components [17]. The application of 2PP has recently been used for fabricating microenvironments and biological devices [18][19][20][21], allowing major advances in drug delivery systems and studies of the process of three-dimensional cell migration [15,[22][23][24][25].…”