SMARTFIL PLA, A PROMISING MATERIAL FOR APPLICATIONS IN BIOTISSUE ENGINEERING, ACCORDING TO A REGEMAT RESEARCH

The REGEMAT 3D Biofabrication laboratory published a research titled "Comparison of printable biomaterials for use in neural tissue engineering: an in vitro characterization and an in vivo biocompatibility evaluation."

Miguel Etayo Escanilla, Paula Ávila Fernández, Jesús Chato Astrain, Fernando Campos, David Sánchez Porras, Óscar García, and Víctor Carriel Araya from the Tissue Engineering Group (University of Granada) investigated the use of biomaterials such as PLA, PCL, conductive FilaFlex, Flexdym, and GelMA in 3D printed scaffolds for regenerative medicine.

We must emphasize that the polylactic acid (PLA) selected for this study originates from our SMARTFIL @ brand of Smart Materials 3D, and plays a vital role in the research and development of applications in tissue.

Previously, several natural, synthetic, and hybrid biomaterials have been studied for the construction of scaffolds suitable for applications in nervous tissue engineering, with the goal of healing brain damage.

The primary advantage of employing naturally generated biomaterials is that they provide relevant biomimetic microenvironments for cells by retaining critical components and cell attachment sites seen in native tissue. However, they typically have weak mechanical qualities, making it difficult to create robust 3D scaffolds.

In contrast, synthetic polymers provide excellent control over scaffold construction and tunable mechanical properties; nevertheless, they are less biocompatible and frequently require additional changes to increase their bioactive features, such as the insertion of cell attachment sites.

In contrast, 3D printing technology has evolved over the last century as a promising alternative for creating complex 3D structures through an additive manufacturing process by precisely controlling their architecture (external shape, internal pore geometry, and connectivity), with high reproducibility and repeatability.

The inquiry revealed crucial points concerning the relevance of PLA this material in the subject of study:

• Biocompatibility and Safety: PLA is well-known for its high biocompatibility and safety in biomedical applications. As a biodegradable material, it provides a safe option for producing 3D printed biomimetic scaffolds. 

• Renewable and Sustainable Origin: PLA is made from renewable materials like sugar cane and corn, making it an environmentally beneficial choice. This trait is critical for the advancement of sustainable tissue engineering technology.

• good Mechanical Characteristics: PLA has good mechanical properties, including high thermal stability and degradability. PLA's stiffness and resistance are particularly useful in tissue engineering for providing structural support in tissues that require specific hardness and load resistance, such as bone or cartilage, as well as for other uses, such as nerve tissue regeneration.

•  Ease of Processing in 3D Printing: PLA is commonly used in 3D printing because it is simple to process and can generate complicated structures with great precision. Smart Materials 3D's ability to deliver high-quality PLA provides optimal manufacturing results.

• Therapeutic Potential in Clinical Applications: Using PLA from Smart Materials 3D to create scaffolds for nervous tissue creation opens up new possibilities for the development of regenerative therapies. Combining the qualities of PLA with 3D printing technology allows for the creation of tailored scaffolds that facilitate the regeneration of injured nerve tissues.

Smart Materials 3D's PLA contributes significantly to the advancement of tissue engineering by providing a safe, sustainable material with appropriate mechanical qualities for the production of 3D printed scaffolds. Its inclusion in this study emphasizes its importance and potential in future clinical applications in brain tissue regeneration.

Printing and Mechanical Results: Thermoplastics produced superior printing outcomes in terms of resolution and shape accuracy, whilst FD and GelMA demonstrated excellent viscoelastic capabilities. PLA was the stiffest and most durable 3D printed scaffold, whereas FD and GelMA were the softest and most elastic.

Cytotoxicity experiment results: GelMA displayed a higher cell vitality rate after 7 days of in vitro cell culture, most likely because to its natural origin; however, all materials showed cell viability rates greater than 98%, which was comparable to the control positive. 

In vivo biocompatibility findings: After 10 days of subcutaneous implantation in rats, all 3D printed scaffolds exhibited a mild local inflammatory response, with a layer of mononuclear cells and some large cells around the implants. GelMA and PCL demonstrated the most immune cell infiltration, while PLA had the least.

Study Conclusions: The study stated that all biomaterials tested shown promising qualities for neural tissue engineering applications, but more research is needed to determine the usability and in vivo therapeutic efficacy of neural substitutes based on these 3D printed scaffolds.

We would like to thank REGEMAT and its entire team for including us in this essential study involving the selection of appropriate biomaterials, which are critical to the development of revolutionary methodologies in tissue engineering and regeneration medicine.

For further details, download the abstract at REGEMAT