Hybrid Additive Manufacturing and Electrospinning for Fabricating Vascularized Biodegradable Tissue Scaffolds

This technology employs a hybrid process that combines additive manufacturing and electrospinning to fabricate biodegradable, porous fibrous scaffolds with built-in microchannels. A sacrificial template—often produced via fused deposition modeling with water-soluble polymers—is first created and then encapsulated by electrospun fibers made of materials such as polydioxanone or poly(glycerol sebacate). Once the layered structure is complete, the template is dissolved in water, leaving behind microvascular networks that promote cell infiltration and nutrient diffusion. Additionally, the technique integrates surface modifications by allowing coatings with biocompatible agents or pharmaceuticals, offering a versatile platform for tissue engineering applications.

Description

Differentiation arises from its unique combination of technologies that overcomes the limitations of traditional scaffold manufacturing methods. Unlike conventional lithography or cell/gel printing, which may produce either impermeable or mechanically weak constructs, this method ensures controlled porosity, enhanced mechanical integrity, and improved biocompatibility. The streamlined, automated process minimizes transfer errors and enables precise, multi-layer assembly, resulting in customizable scaffolds ideal for replicating native tissue structure and function while facilitating superior in vitro endothelial cell adherence.

Applications

vascularized tissue scaffolds
regenerative organ grafts
customizable 3D implants
drug-eluting scaffolds

Advantages

Biomimetic architecture that replicates natural vascular networks to enhance nutrient diffusion and cell infiltration
Precise, customizable scaffold geometries through the integration of additive manufacturing and electrospinning
Biodegradable and biocompatible materials ensure safe, gradual integration into tissue engineering applications
Automated, multi-layer fabrication on a single platform reduces complexity and improves reproducibility
Versatile surface modification capabilities allow incorporation of thromboresistant or pharmaceutical agents for enhanced functionality

IP Status

https://patents.google.com/patent/US11938248B2