O objetivo do presente estudo foi sintetizar e caracterizar arcabouços tridimensionais de vidros bioativos contendo nióbio e avaliar a influência destes materiais no comportamento de células pré-osteoblasticas in vitro. A produção dos arcabouços foi realizada pelo método sol-gel a partir da mistura de precursores da matriz e modificadores minerais. Foram produzidos vidros contendo Nióbio (BAG-Nb) e vidros sem adição deste componente (BAG). A adição do nióbio foi feita por meio de NbCl5. Após a formação do sol foram adicionados um surfactante e um catalisador da condensação para que fosse possível produzir um gel poroso que, com o processo de queima deu origem aos arcabouços. A caracterização da estrutura química foi realizada por difração de raio-x (DRX) e espectroscopia Raman. A morfologia dos materiais foi avaliada por microscopia de varredura (MEV) e microtomografia computadorizada de raios-x (MicroCT). Células pré-osteoblasticas MC3T3-E1 foram cultivadas para avaliação da influência dos materiais na sua proliferação, mineralização e expressão gênica. Para este fim foram utilizados os testes da Sulforonamida B, a coloração por Vermelho de Alizarina e o teste de Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase (PCR), respectivamente. A caracterização do material demonstrou a presença de estruturas cristalinas nos vidros produzidos. O Nióbio foi encontrado no grupo BAG-Nb em sua forma de óxido disperso pela matriz do vidro de acordo com os resultados de DRX e Raman. Quanto à sua estrutura, a porosidade superficial e macroposidade, o tamanho dos poros e a interconectividade entre os poros mostraram-se favoráveis para o crescimento de tecido em ambos os grupos produzidos. O nióbio foi encontrado na estrutura do vidro na sua forma de óxido (Nb2O5). A incorporação de Nb2O5 ao vidro não interferiu na proliferação celular no entanto, os materiais contendo Nb2O5 promoveram maior aumento na mineralização das células pré-osteoblasticas após 7 e 21 dias de cultivo, indicando maior diferenciação celular. Estes resultados demonstram que a incorporação de Nióbio resultou em materiais com composição química e macroestrutura adequadas, induzindo maior e mais rápida taxa de diferenciação celular na cultura de células in vitro. / The aim of this study was to synthesize and characterized sol-gel derived bioactive glasses scaffolds containing Niobium and evaluate its influence in pre-osteoblastic cell behaviour. Sol-gel route was used to produce porous scaffolds by foaming method. Matrix precursors and mineral modifiers were used to produce the sol. Scaffolds were produced in two distinct compositions. One group containing Niobium (BAG-Nb) and one group without this component (BAG) were produced. NbCl5 was used as Nb precursor. After sol mixture a surfactant and catalyst for condensation was added under stirring to produce a porous gel structure. Heating treatment was applied to produce porous scaffolds. Chemical characterization was performed with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. To evaluate morphology, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Microcomputed thomography (μCT) were used. MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblastic cells were used in cell culture analysis of cell proliferation, cell mineralization and gene expression. For these analyses, SulphoronamideB, Alizarin S Red and quantitative Polymerase Chain Reraction (qPCR) were used, respectively. Niobium was found scattered in glass matrix in its oxide form (Nb2O5) according to Raman and XRD results. These results showed Nb2O5 did not bond to glass matrix. Scaffolds superficial and macro porosity, pore size and connectivity were found favourable for growth of tissue. Cell proliferation was not influenced by the addition of Nb2O5, however scaffolds containing Nb2O5 induced increased mineralization after 7 and 21 days in preosteoblastic cell cultures. This result indicate increased cell differentiation for glasses containing Nb2O5. The development of bioactive glass scaffolds containing Niobium resulted in material with suitable chemical properties and microstructure with increased and faster mineralization in cellular studies showing potential of Nb2O5 containing bioactive glasses for tissue engineering applications.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi sintetizar e caracterizar arcabouços tridimensionais de vidros bioativos contendo nióbio e avaliar a influência destes materiais no comportamento de células pré-osteoblasticas in vitro. A produção dos arcabouços foi realizada pelo método sol-gel a partir da mistura de precursores da matriz e modificadores minerais. Foram produzidos vidros contendo Nióbio (BAG-Nb) e vidros sem adição deste componente (BAG). A adição do nióbio foi feita por meio de NbCl5. Após a formação do sol foram adicionados um surfactante e um catalisador da condensação para que fosse possível produzir um gel poroso que, com o processo de queima deu origem aos arcabouços. A caracterização da estrutura química foi realizada por difração de raio-x (DRX) e espectroscopia Raman. A morfologia dos materiais foi avaliada por microscopia de varredura (MEV) e microtomografia computadorizada de raios-x (MicroCT). Células pré-osteoblasticas MC3T3-E1 foram cultivadas para avaliação da influência dos materiais na sua proliferação, mineralização e expressão gênica. Para este fim foram utilizados os testes da Sulforonamida B, a coloração por Vermelho de Alizarina e o teste de Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase (PCR), respectivamente. A caracterização do material demonstrou a presença de estruturas cristalinas nos vidros produzidos. O Nióbio foi encontrado no grupo BAG-Nb em sua forma de óxido disperso pela matriz do vidro de acordo com os resultados de DRX e Raman. Quanto à sua estrutura, a porosidade superficial e macroposidade, o tamanho dos poros e a interconectividade entre os poros mostraram-se favoráveis para o crescimento de tecido em ambos os grupos produzidos. O nióbio foi encontrado na estrutura do vidro na sua forma de óxido (Nb2O5). A incorporação de Nb2O5 ao vidro não interferiu na proliferação celular no entanto, os materiais contendo Nb2O5 promoveram maior aumento na mineralização das células pré-osteoblasticas após 7 e 21 dias de cultivo, indicando maior diferenciação celular. Estes resultados demonstram que a incorporação de Nióbio resultou em materiais com composição química e macroestrutura adequadas, induzindo maior e mais rápida taxa de diferenciação celular na cultura de células in vitro. / The aim of this study was to synthesize and characterized sol-gel derived bioactive glasses scaffolds containing Niobium and evaluate its influence in pre-osteoblastic cell behaviour. Sol-gel route was used to produce porous scaffolds by foaming method. Matrix precursors and mineral modifiers were used to produce the sol. Scaffolds were produced in two distinct compositions. One group containing Niobium (BAG-Nb) and one group without this component (BAG) were produced. NbCl5 was used as Nb precursor. After sol mixture a surfactant and catalyst for condensation was added under stirring to produce a porous gel structure. Heating treatment was applied to produce porous scaffolds. Chemical characterization was performed with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. To evaluate morphology, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Microcomputed thomography (μCT) were used. MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblastic cells were used in cell culture analysis of cell proliferation, cell mineralization and gene expression. For these analyses, SulphoronamideB, Alizarin S Red and quantitative Polymerase Chain Reraction (qPCR) were used, respectively. Niobium was found scattered in glass matrix in its oxide form (Nb2O5) according to Raman and XRD results. These results showed Nb2O5 did not bond to glass matrix. Scaffolds superficial and macro porosity, pore size and connectivity were found favourable for growth of tissue. Cell proliferation was not influenced by the addition of Nb2O5, however scaffolds containing Nb2O5 induced increased mineralization after 7 and 21 days in preosteoblastic cell cultures. This result indicate increased cell differentiation for glasses containing Nb2O5. The development of bioactive glass scaffolds containing Niobium resulted in material with suitable chemical properties and microstructure with increased and faster mineralization in cellular studies showing potential of Nb2O5 containing bioactive glasses for tissue engineering applications.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi sintetizar e caracterizar arcabouços tridimensionais de vidros bioativos contendo nióbio e avaliar a influência destes materiais no comportamento de células pré-osteoblasticas in vitro. A produção dos arcabouços foi realizada pelo método sol-gel a partir da mistura de precursores da matriz e modificadores minerais. Foram produzidos vidros contendo Nióbio (BAG-Nb) e vidros sem adição deste componente (BAG). A adição do nióbio foi feita por meio de NbCl5. Após a formação do sol foram adicionados um surfactante e um catalisador da condensação para que fosse possível produzir um gel poroso que, com o processo de queima deu origem aos arcabouços. A caracterização da estrutura química foi realizada por difração de raio-x (DRX) e espectroscopia Raman. A morfologia dos materiais foi avaliada por microscopia de varredura (MEV) e microtomografia computadorizada de raios-x (MicroCT). Células pré-osteoblasticas MC3T3-E1 foram cultivadas para avaliação da influência dos materiais na sua proliferação, mineralização e expressão gênica. Para este fim foram utilizados os testes da Sulforonamida B, a coloração por Vermelho de Alizarina e o teste de Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase (PCR), respectivamente. A caracterização do material demonstrou a presença de estruturas cristalinas nos vidros produzidos. O Nióbio foi encontrado no grupo BAG-Nb em sua forma de óxido disperso pela matriz do vidro de acordo com os resultados de DRX e Raman. Quanto à sua estrutura, a porosidade superficial e macroposidade, o tamanho dos poros e a interconectividade entre os poros mostraram-se favoráveis para o crescimento de tecido em ambos os grupos produzidos. O nióbio foi encontrado na estrutura do vidro na sua forma de óxido (Nb2O5). A incorporação de Nb2O5 ao vidro não interferiu na proliferação celular no entanto, os materiais contendo Nb2O5 promoveram maior aumento na mineralização das células pré-osteoblasticas após 7 e 21 dias de cultivo, indicando maior diferenciação celular. Estes resultados demonstram que a incorporação de Nióbio resultou em materiais com composição química e macroestrutura adequadas, induzindo maior e mais rápida taxa de diferenciação celular na cultura de células in vitro. / The aim of this study was to synthesize and characterized sol-gel derived bioactive glasses scaffolds containing Niobium and evaluate its influence in pre-osteoblastic cell behaviour. Sol-gel route was used to produce porous scaffolds by foaming method. Matrix precursors and mineral modifiers were used to produce the sol. Scaffolds were produced in two distinct compositions. One group containing Niobium (BAG-Nb) and one group without this component (BAG) were produced. NbCl5 was used as Nb precursor. After sol mixture a surfactant and catalyst for condensation was added under stirring to produce a porous gel structure. Heating treatment was applied to produce porous scaffolds. Chemical characterization was performed with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. To evaluate morphology, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Microcomputed thomography (μCT) were used. MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblastic cells were used in cell culture analysis of cell proliferation, cell mineralization and gene expression. For these analyses, SulphoronamideB, Alizarin S Red and quantitative Polymerase Chain Reraction (qPCR) were used, respectively. Niobium was found scattered in glass matrix in its oxide form (Nb2O5) according to Raman and XRD results. These results showed Nb2O5 did not bond to glass matrix. Scaffolds superficial and macro porosity, pore size and connectivity were found favourable for growth of tissue. Cell proliferation was not influenced by the addition of Nb2O5, however scaffolds containing Nb2O5 induced increased mineralization after 7 and 21 days in preosteoblastic cell cultures. This result indicate increased cell differentiation for glasses containing Nb2O5. The development of bioactive glass scaffolds containing Niobium resulted in material with suitable chemical properties and microstructure with increased and faster mineralization in cellular studies showing potential of Nb2O5 containing bioactive glasses for tissue engineering applications.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease characterized by painful, progressive articular cartilage lesions that deteriorate joint function. It remains leading cause of disability in the United States, affecting nearly 30 million Americans with increasing prevalence in the aging population, which has resulted in an annual economic burden of $128 billion. Symptomatic, full thickness cartilage injuries often require surgical intervention, because the tissue is predominantly avascular and thus has a limited self-healing capacity. However, clinical management strategies including matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation and osteochondral grafting are inadequate in the long-term due to poor integration of cartilage grafts with surrounding host cartilage and subchondral bone. In addition to physical congruence between graft and host cartilage, a structural or chemically functional barrier that limits osseous invasion into the cartilage compartment is critical in order to maintain the integrity of repaired cartilage. Given these significant clinical challenges, the objective of this thesis is to establish design principles for homotypic and heterotypic tissue integration via a cup-shaped fibrous scaffold system that encapsulates cartilage grafts (autologous or engineered), and integrates them simultaneously with host cartilage and bone at their respective interfaces. Additionally, to facilitate clinical translation of the scaffold cup, an innovative “green electrospinning” method is developed using FDA Q3C Class 3 solvents with minimal manufacturing impact on the environment. It is hypothesized that, to fuse cartilage grafts with host cartilage, the walls of the envisioned cup can direct cell migration directly to the graft-host cartilage interface via chemotactic agent delivery, where scaffold electroactivity will encourage cells to deposit a structurally contiguous neocartilage matrix. At the boundary between the graft and underlying bone, the scaffold cup base will mimic the topography and ceramic chemistry of the native osteochondral interface while preventing bone vasculature from growing upwards into the cartilage, guided by the hypothesis that this will enable the formation of a calcified cartilage interface layer that merges the graft and subchondral bone. To test these hypotheses, this thesis began with green electrospinning the scaffold cup walls incorporated with insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a well-established chondrocyte chemoattractant that induced cell migration from cartilage autografts towards resulting fibers. Additionally, the walls contained an optimized dose of graphite nanoparticles to impart electroactivity to the fibers. Mimicking the fixed charge density of cartilage in this way promoted chondrocyte proliferation and biosynthesis of a hyaline cartilage-like matrix in vitro, with selective regulation of proteoglycans (biglycan and decorin) and downregulation of collagen type I compared to a graphite-free fiber control. Moreover, the graphite fibers sequestered IGF-1, sustaining release of the growth factor and improving functional graft-cartilage shear integration strength in vitro. In a full thickness defect osteochondral construct repaired with the scaffold cup and implanted subcutaneously in rat dorsi, localized IGF-1 delivery promoted graft-host cartilage interface matrix elaboration with significantly greater integration strength measured with graphite in the cup walls. For integration with subchondral bone, design criteria for the scaffold cup base were set by quantitatively mapping the compositional and morphometric characteristics of healthy and osteoarthritic human osteochondral tissues, and evaluating FEBio simulations of calcified cartilage and polymer-ceramic composite fibers in silico. These analyses established the need for an interdigitating mesh topography and ceramic particle incorporation, which minimize shear and distribute loading across the fibers, respectively, recapitulating the osteochondral interface’s force gradient from cartilage to bone in order to functionally integrate the tissues. Thus, the dose of calcium deficient apatite (CDA) nanoparticles, which capture the high calcium-phosphate ratio and semi-crystalline atomic structure of native bone mineral, was optimized to promote deep zone chondrocyte growth and biosynthesis of a calcified cartilage matrix in vitro. Moreover, CDA enhanced remodeling of the interface in vivo, with undulating fibers preventing osseous upgrowth. Taken together, these findings delineate the importance of strategic biomimicry in scaffold design, specifically with regards to interface regeneration and cartilage integration. The proposed approach is unique in that it utilized cell homing and an electroactive substrate to mimic properties of the cartilage matrix, with a strategy for simultaneous graft integration with host cartilage and bone. Moreover, the cup design is readily adaptable to current cartilage repair techniques including press-fit autografting and cell-based graft implantation, as well as emerging tissue engineered grafting strategies. Beyond cartilage repair, the scaffold design criteria established in this thesis are broadly applicable to integrating other complex tissue systems, and may inform the regeneration of critical soft-soft (muscle-tendon) and soft-hard (tendon- or ligament-bone) interfaces in the musculoskeletal system.

Grafenoxid (GO) ar en lovande kandidat som nano-tillsats i medicinska byggnadsstallningar for benregenerering. GO kan forbattra den biologiska kompatibiliteten och osteogena prestandan hos polymerbaserade byggstallningar, och ocksa vasentligt bidra till forbattringen av materialets mekaniska egenskaper. I detta arbete ympades nano-grafenoxid (nGO) kovalent pa ytan av poly (e-kaprolakton) (PCL) genom att fdrst modifiera polymerytan via aminolys. Med anvandning av 1,6-hexandiamin / isopropanol infordes fria amingrupper framgangsrikt pa PCL-ytan for efterfoljande immobilisering av nGO. En optimerad ympningsprocess utvecklades via en losningsmedelsassisterad metod med vatten som losningsmedel for att kovalent binda nGO pa ytan av PCL byggnadsstallningar. De initiala nGO koncentrationerna var 0,5 och 1 mg / ml. fourier-transform infrarodspektroskopi (FTIR) och termogravimetrisk analys (TGA) verifierade bindningen mellan de funktionella gruppema pa nGO och de fria aminema. Svepelektronmikroskopi (SEM) visade en homogen fordelning av nGO pa ytan av de porosa byggnadsstallningarna. De mekaniska testema som utfordes demonstrerade · en 50 och 21 % okning av kompressionsstyrkan :for byggnadsstallningarna ympade med de initiala nGO-koncentrationema pa 0,5 och 1 mg / ml. In vitro-mineraliseringstester visade bildandet av mineralfallningar pa ytan av byggnadsstallningama som okade i storlek med hogre nGO-halt. A ven nGO: s potential som nano-barare av ett antibiotikum studerades i detta arbete. Pa grund av sitt overflod av kemiska funktionaliteter kan nGO effektivt adsorbera foreningar genom olika sekundara interaktioner. I denna studie optimerades dessa sekundara interaktioner genom att reglera losningens pH for maximal adsorption av ciprofloxacin, ett bredspektrum antibiotikum som anvands vid behandling av osteomyelit. Ciprofloxacin befanns kunna adsorberas starkast i sin katjonform vid pH 5, dar 1t-1t elektron­donatoracceptor (EDA) -interaktioner dominerar. Sammanfattningsvis bekraftar de resultat som presenteras i detta arbete potentialen hos nGO som egenskapsforbattrare och lakemedelsbarare i applikationer inom vavnadsregenerering. / Graphene oxide (GO) is a promising candidate as nano-filler material in scaffolds for bone regeneration. It has been demonstrated to enhance the biological compatibility and osteogenic performance of polymer-based scaffolds, aside from its substantial contribution to the improvement of the material's mechanical properties. In this work, nano-graphene oxide (nGO) was covalently grafted to the surface of poly( e-caprolactone) (PCL) by first modifying the polymer surface via aminolysis. Using 1,6-hexanediamine/isopropanol, free amine groups were successfully introduced to the PCL surface for the subsequent immobilization of nGO. An optimized grafting pathway, which implements the solvent-assisted method and uses water as a solvent, was developed to covalently attach nGO using initial concentrations of 0.5 and 1 mg/mL. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) both verified the successful attachment of nGO through the free amines. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) depicts a homogeneous dispersion of nGO over the polymer matrix. Mechanical tests were performed and demonstrate a 50 and 21 % increase in compressive strength for the scaffolds grafted using initial nGO concentrations of 0.5 and 1 mglmL. In vitro mineralization tests showed the formation of mineral precipitates on the surface of the scaffolds that increased in size with higher nGO content. The potential of nGO as a nano-carrier of an antibiotic drug was also explored in this work. As it comprises of an abundance of chemical functionalities, nGO is able to efficiently adsorb compounds through various secondary interactions. In this study, these secondary interactions were optimized by controlling the solution pH for the maximum adsorption of ciprofloxacin, a broad-spectrum antibiotic used in the treatment of osteomyelitis. Ciprofloxacin was found to be adsorbed most strongly in its cationic form at pH 5, in which 1t-1t electron-donor acceptor (EDA) interactions predominate. Overall, the results presented in this work validate the potential of nGO as nano-enhancer and drug carrier in tissue engineering scaffold applications.

A engenharia de tecidos e a medicina regenerativa possuem como objetivo principal o restabelecimento morfológico/funcional de tecidos e órgãos lesionados com a utilização de células, matrizes celulares e células tronco, controlando as respostas imunológicas/bioquímicas promovidas pelo organismo. Adicionalmente, a ciência dos materiais busca desenvolver biomateriais biocompatíveis que não promovam reações imunológicas indesejadas e proporcionem o reestabelecimento das funções do tecido/órgão. Polímeros de origem natural destacam-se como biomateriais por assemelharem-se a macromoléculas biológicas, similaridade com a matriz extracelular, menor possibilidade de estimulação de inflamação crônica e baixa ou ausência de toxicidade. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver matrizes macromoleculares originadas do óleo de soja epoxidado (OSE), analisando a relação estrutura química/atividade biológica das matrizes macromoleculares para uso como biomaterial na engenharia de tecidos. A síntese do OSE foi efetuada pela rota oleoquímica, cuja eficiência foi determinada por espectroscopia de infravermelho e o rendimento da reação de 85% determinado por ressonância magnética nuclear de prótons. A partir da análise por calorimetria exploratória diferencial, detectou-se uma diminuição da temperatura de transição vítrea do polímero do óleo de soja (POSE) em relação ao OSE, sugerindo aumento do crescimento das cadeias poliméricas do POSE. Através da análise termogravimétrica, foi possível definir o perfil de degradação do OSE, com degradação em duas etapas, e do POSE, que degrada em apenas uma etapa e demonstra maior estabilidade térmica do POSE pelo aumento das interações moleculares. A reticulação e a hidrofilicidade do POSE foram promovidas com a adição de metacrilato de 2-hidroxietila (HEMA) à formulação por enxertia do monômero pela irradiação gama. Os resultados obtidos identificaram aumento da estabilidade mecânica, da gelificação e da absorção de água com o aumento do conteúdo de HEMA. Por fim, o grau de cristalinidade estimado para esses polímeros enxertados com HEMA de 27,5% foi definido através da difratometria de raios-X. A segunda etapa caracterizou-se pelo (i) desenvolvimento de POSEs com a enxertia de HEMA nas proporções OSE/HEMA 90:10 e 65:35 com irradiação por raios gama nas doses de 50 e 100kGy, (ii) caracterização físico-química dos POSE-HEMA e (iii) análise biológica desses materiais. Através da espectroscopia de infravermelho, pode-se detectar as regiões epoxidadas do POSE, assim como o sucesso da enxertia do monômero HEMA em todas as concentrações e doses de radiação utilizadas. Através da calorimetria exploratória diferencial, calculou-se a energia de ativação (Ea) dos polímeros. A cristalinidade dos materiais foi definida por difratometria de raios-X, mostrando caráter amorfo do material, bem como um pequeno incremento na porcentagem da cristalinidade com o aumento da intensidade das doses de radiação durante a síntese e um decréscimo dessa cristalinidade com o aumento na concentração de HEMA. A análise da citotoxicidade das amostras mostrou a ausência de toxicidade dos POSE-HEMA, confirmando a eficiência das lavagens dos polímeros para retirada de resíduos do processamento. A análise da hemocompatibilidade mostrou ausência de adesão de plaquetas e os testes de crescimento celular nas matrizes foram positivos. Através dos resultados obtidos nesta pesquisa, pôde-se concluir pelo potencial de utilização dos POSE-HEMA na engenharia de tecidos. / Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine have as main objective the morphologic/functional reestablishment of injured tissues and organs using cells, scaffolds, stem cells and control of immunological/biochemical responses promoted by the body. In addition, materials science seeks to develop biocompatible biomaterials that do not promote unwanted immune responses and provide the re-establishment of the functions of the tissue/organ. Polymers of natural origin stand out as biomaterials to resemble biological macromolecules, similarity to the extracellular matrix, reduced chance of inflammation and chronic pacing low or no toxicity. This study aimed the development of macromolecular arrays originated from epoxidized soybean oil (OSE), analyzing the relationship between the chemical structure/biological activity of the macromolecular arrays for use as biomaterials in tissue engineering. The synthesis of OSE was performed through the oleochemical route, whose efficiency was determined by infrared spectroscopy and the reaction yield of 85%, determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. From the analysis by differential scanning calorimetry, it was detected a decrease of the glass transition temperature of the epoxidized soybean oil polymer (POSE) compared with OSE, suggesting an increase of the growth of polymer chains of POSE. Thermogravimetric analysis was performed to define the OSE degradation profile, which degrades in two steps. The POSE degrades in just one step and shows higher thermal stability by the increased molecular interactions. The hydrophilicity and crosslinking of POSE was promoted by the addition of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with the monomer grafting by gamma irradiation. The results showed an increased mechanical stability, gelation and water absorption with the HEMA content increasing. Finally, the degree of crystallinity for such polymers grafted with HEMA was 27.5%, estimated by X-ray diffractometry. The second stage was characterized by (i) developing POSEs with the grafting of HEMA in the proportions OSE / HEMA 90:10 and 65:35 irradiated by gamma rays at doses of 50 and 100kGy, (ii) physico-chemical characterization of POSE-HEMA and (iii) analysis of biological materials. By infrared spectroscopy, it was detect the epoxidized regions of POSE, as well as the successful grafting of the monomer HEMA concentrations with all radiation doses. By differential scanning calorimetry, the activation energy was calculated (Ea) of the polymers. The crystallinity of the material was defined by X-ray diffraction, showing tendency of amorphous material as well as a small percentage of the increase in crystallinity with increasing intensity of radiation doses during this synthesis and a decrease in crystallinity with the increasing concentration of HEMA. The analysis of the samples did not show cytotoxicity on POSE-HEMA and confirmed the efficiency of polymer washings to remove the processing waste. The analysis of hemocompatibility showed any platelet adhesion and the cell growth on the scaffolds was positive. From the results obtained in this research, we concluded by the potential use of POSE-HEMA in tissue engineering.

A engenharia de tecidos e a medicina regenerativa possuem como objetivo principal o restabelecimento morfológico/funcional de tecidos e órgãos lesionados com a utilização de células, matrizes celulares e células tronco, controlando as respostas imunológicas/bioquímicas promovidas pelo organismo. Adicionalmente, a ciência dos materiais busca desenvolver biomateriais biocompatíveis que não promovam reações imunológicas indesejadas e proporcionem o reestabelecimento das funções do tecido/órgão. Polímeros de origem natural destacam-se como biomateriais por assemelharem-se a macromoléculas biológicas, similaridade com a matriz extracelular, menor possibilidade de estimulação de inflamação crônica e baixa ou ausência de toxicidade. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver matrizes macromoleculares originadas do óleo de soja epoxidado (OSE), analisando a relação estrutura química/atividade biológica das matrizes macromoleculares para uso como biomaterial na engenharia de tecidos. A síntese do OSE foi efetuada pela rota oleoquímica, cuja eficiência foi determinada por espectroscopia de infravermelho e o rendimento da reação de 85% determinado por ressonância magnética nuclear de prótons. A partir da análise por calorimetria exploratória diferencial, detectou-se uma diminuição da temperatura de transição vítrea do polímero do óleo de soja (POSE) em relação ao OSE, sugerindo aumento do crescimento das cadeias poliméricas do POSE. Através da análise termogravimétrica, foi possível definir o perfil de degradação do OSE, com degradação em duas etapas, e do POSE, que degrada em apenas uma etapa e demonstra maior estabilidade térmica do POSE pelo aumento das interações moleculares. A reticulação e a hidrofilicidade do POSE foram promovidas com a adição de metacrilato de 2-hidroxietila (HEMA) à formulação por enxertia do monômero pela irradiação gama. Os resultados obtidos identificaram aumento da estabilidade mecânica, da gelificação e da absorção de água com o aumento do conteúdo de HEMA. Por fim, o grau de cristalinidade estimado para esses polímeros enxertados com HEMA de 27,5% foi definido através da difratometria de raios-X. A segunda etapa caracterizou-se pelo (i) desenvolvimento de POSEs com a enxertia de HEMA nas proporções OSE/HEMA 90:10 e 65:35 com irradiação por raios gama nas doses de 50 e 100kGy, (ii) caracterização físico-química dos POSE-HEMA e (iii) análise biológica desses materiais. Através da espectroscopia de infravermelho, pode-se detectar as regiões epoxidadas do POSE, assim como o sucesso da enxertia do monômero HEMA em todas as concentrações e doses de radiação utilizadas. Através da calorimetria exploratória diferencial, calculou-se a energia de ativação (Ea) dos polímeros. A cristalinidade dos materiais foi definida por difratometria de raios-X, mostrando caráter amorfo do material, bem como um pequeno incremento na porcentagem da cristalinidade com o aumento da intensidade das doses de radiação durante a síntese e um decréscimo dessa cristalinidade com o aumento na concentração de HEMA. A análise da citotoxicidade das amostras mostrou a ausência de toxicidade dos POSE-HEMA, confirmando a eficiência das lavagens dos polímeros para retirada de resíduos do processamento. A análise da hemocompatibilidade mostrou ausência de adesão de plaquetas e os testes de crescimento celular nas matrizes foram positivos. Através dos resultados obtidos nesta pesquisa, pôde-se concluir pelo potencial de utilização dos POSE-HEMA na engenharia de tecidos. / Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine have as main objective the morphologic/functional reestablishment of injured tissues and organs using cells, scaffolds, stem cells and control of immunological/biochemical responses promoted by the body. In addition, materials science seeks to develop biocompatible biomaterials that do not promote unwanted immune responses and provide the re-establishment of the functions of the tissue/organ. Polymers of natural origin stand out as biomaterials to resemble biological macromolecules, similarity to the extracellular matrix, reduced chance of inflammation and chronic pacing low or no toxicity. This study aimed the development of macromolecular arrays originated from epoxidized soybean oil (OSE), analyzing the relationship between the chemical structure/biological activity of the macromolecular arrays for use as biomaterials in tissue engineering. The synthesis of OSE was performed through the oleochemical route, whose efficiency was determined by infrared spectroscopy and the reaction yield of 85%, determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. From the analysis by differential scanning calorimetry, it was detected a decrease of the glass transition temperature of the epoxidized soybean oil polymer (POSE) compared with OSE, suggesting an increase of the growth of polymer chains of POSE. Thermogravimetric analysis was performed to define the OSE degradation profile, which degrades in two steps. The POSE degrades in just one step and shows higher thermal stability by the increased molecular interactions. The hydrophilicity and crosslinking of POSE was promoted by the addition of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with the monomer grafting by gamma irradiation. The results showed an increased mechanical stability, gelation and water absorption with the HEMA content increasing. Finally, the degree of crystallinity for such polymers grafted with HEMA was 27.5%, estimated by X-ray diffractometry. The second stage was characterized by (i) developing POSEs with the grafting of HEMA in the proportions OSE / HEMA 90:10 and 65:35 irradiated by gamma rays at doses of 50 and 100kGy, (ii) physico-chemical characterization of POSE-HEMA and (iii) analysis of biological materials. By infrared spectroscopy, it was detect the epoxidized regions of POSE, as well as the successful grafting of the monomer HEMA concentrations with all radiation doses. By differential scanning calorimetry, the activation energy was calculated (Ea) of the polymers. The crystallinity of the material was defined by X-ray diffraction, showing tendency of amorphous material as well as a small percentage of the increase in crystallinity with increasing intensity of radiation doses during this synthesis and a decrease in crystallinity with the increasing concentration of HEMA. The analysis of the samples did not show cytotoxicity on POSE-HEMA and confirmed the efficiency of polymer washings to remove the processing waste. The analysis of hemocompatibility showed any platelet adhesion and the cell growth on the scaffolds was positive. From the results obtained in this research, we concluded by the potential use of POSE-HEMA in tissue engineering.

Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field that is rapidly emerging as a promising approach for tissue repair and regeneration. In this approach, scaffolds which allow cells to invade the construct and guide the cells grow into specific tissue play a pivotal role. Electrospinning has gained popularity recently as a simple and versatile method to produce fibrous structures with nano- to microscale dimensions. These electrospun fibers have been extensively applied to create nanofiber scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. Specifically for bone and cartilage tissue engineering, polymeric materials have some attractive properties such as the biodegradability. Ceramic scaffolds and implant coatings, such as hydroxyapatite and silica-based bioglass have also been considered as bone graft substitutes for bone repair because of their bioactivity and, in some cases, tunable resorbability. Besides tissue engineering scaffolds, for clinical application, especially for load-bearing artificial implants, metallic materials such as titanium are the most commonly used material. Osseointegration between bone and implants is very essential for implant success. To achieve better osseointegration between bone and the implant surface, three dimensional porous structures can provide enhanced fixation with bone by allowing tissue to grow into the pores. In this study, pre-3D electrospun polymer and ceramic scaffolds with peptide conjugation and 3D titanium scaffolds with different surface morphology were fabricated to testify the osteoblast and mensechymal stem cell attachment and differentiation. The overall goal of this thesis is to determine if the peptide functionalization of polymeric scaffolds and physical parameters of ceramic and metallic scaffold can promote osteoblast maturation and mesenchymal stem cell differentiation in vitro to achieve an optimal scaffold design for greater osseointegration. The results of the studies showed with functionalization of MSC- specific peptide, polymer scaffolds behaved with higher biocompatibility and MSC affinity. For the ceramic and metallic scaffolds, microstructures and nanostructures can synergistically promote osteoblast maturation and 3D micro-environment with micro-roughness is a promising design for osteoblast maturation and MSC differentiation in vitro compared to 2D surfaces.

Cartilage tissue engineering has been emerging as a promising therapeutic approach, where engineered constructs or scaffolds are used as temporary supports to promote regeneration of functional cartilage tissue. Hybrid constructs fabricated from cells, hydrogels, and solid polymeric materials show the most potential for their enhanced biological and mechanical properties. However, fabrication of customized hybrid constructs with impregnated cells is still in its infancy and many issues related to their structural integrity and the cell functions need to be addressed by research. Meanwhile, it is noticed that nowadays monitoring the success of tissue engineered constructs must rely on animal models, which have to be sacrificed for subsequent examination based on histological techniques. This becomes a critical issue as tissue engineering advances from animal to human studies, thus raising a great need for non-invasive assessments of engineered constructs in situ. To address the aforementioned issues, this research is aimed to (1) develop novel fabrication processes to fabricate hybrid constructs incorporating living cells (hereafter referred as “construct biofabrication”) for cartilage tissue regeneration and (2) develop non-invasive monitoring methods based on synchrotron X-ray imaging techniques for examining cartilage tissue constructs in situ. Based on three-dimensional (3D) printing techniques, novel biofabrication processes were developed to create constructs from synthetic polycaprolactone (PCL) polymer framework and cell-impregnated alginate hydrogel, so as to provide both structural and biological properties as desired in cartilage tissue engineering. To ensure the structural integrity of the constructs, the influence of both PCL polymer and alginate was examined, thus forming a basis to prepare materials for subsequent construct biofabrication. To ensure the biological properties, three types of cells, i.e., two primary cell populations from embryonic chick sternum and an established chondrocyte cell line of ATDC5 were chosen to be incorporated in the construct biofabrication. The biological performance of the cells in the construct were examined along with the influence of the polymer melting temperature on them. The promising results of cell viability and proliferation as well as cartilage matrix production demonstrate that the developed processes are appropriate for fabricating hybrid constructs for cartilage tissue engineering. To develop non-invasive in situ assessment methods for cartilage and other soft tissue engineering applications, synchrotron phase-based X-ray imaging techniques of diffraction enhanced imaging (DEI), analyzer based imaging (ABI), and inline phase contrast imaging (PCI) were investigated, respectively, with samples prepared from pig knees implanted with low density scaffolds. The results from the computed-tomography (CT)-DEI, CT-ABI, and extended-distance CT-PCI showed the scaffold implanted in pig knee cartilage in situ with structural properties more clearly than conventional PCI and clinical MRI, thus providing information and means for tracking the success of scaffolds in tissue repair and remodeling. To optimize the methods for live animal and eventually for human patients, strategies with the aim to reduce the radiation dose during the imaging process were developed by reducing the number of CT projections, region of imaging, and imaging resolution. The results of the developed strategies illustrate that effective dose for CT-DEI, CT-ABI, and extended-distance CT-PCI could be reduced to 0.3-10 mSv, comparable to the dose for clinical X-ray scans, without compromising the image quality. Taken together, synchrotron X-ray imaging techniques were illustrated promising for developing non-invasive monitoring methods for examining cartilage tissue constructs in live animals and eventually in human patients.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The aim of this current study was to determine if the exposure of human dental pulp stem cells (HDPSC) to the DynaMatrix membrane will result in an increased production of angiogenic cytokines that are critical for pulp/root regeneration. Angiogenesis cytokine arrays have been established as a viable method for assessing expression of cytokines.20 HDPSC were chosen as they are expected to be found in the apical papilla and the infected immature root canal system of teeth that current regenerative endodontic techniques are designed to treat.