Biomateriais que promovem e auxiliam a regeneração óssea vêm ganhando grande visibilidade em pesquisas na área de engenharia tecidual, em destaque os biocompósitos a partir de cerâmicas e polímeros. Muitos desafios abrangem essa área de pesquisa, sendo o principal, criar um material que mais se assemelha ao osso, não só em sua resistência mecânica, mas também em sua bioatividade e porosidade. Esse projeto tem como foco o desenvolvimento e processamento de blocos de biocompósito formados a partir de hidroxiapatita (HAp) e fibroína de seda (FS). A fibroína de seda, obtida a partir dos casulos do bicho-da-seda, foi lavada em solução de carbonato de sódio com concentração de 5% por 30 minutos. Sua dissolução foi realizada através de solução ternária contendo cloreto de cálcio, etanol e água, na proporção molar de 1:2:8. A HAp foi co-precipitada na FS dissolvida em solução ternária através de solução de fosfato (Na2HPO4) sob agitação constante. Os blocos foram prensados manualmente e avaliou-se sua morfologia, relação Ca/P e absorção de líquido definindo a melhor proporção de %HAp e %FS. Após a determinação da proporção 75%HAp e 25% FS, os blocos foram conformados em prensa hidráulica com pressões fixas de 50 e 100 MPa. As características morfológicas foram avaliadas através de análises de MEV, porosidade, absorção de líquidos, microtomografia computadorizada (?-CT) e medição da área superficial específica (BET). As características químicas e estruturais foram analisadas por EDS, FTIR, TGA e DRX. Além disso, avaliou-se a resistência à compressão, a bioatividade e a citotoxicidade do biocompósito. Os resultados mostram que o biocompósito estudado apresenta características químicas e estruturais próxima ao osso trabecular, resistência à compressão entre 2 e 10 MPa e porosidade entre 30% e 70%, é biocompatível e possui capacidade de formação de apatita. O biomaterial em estudo apresenta-se como uma boa perspectiva na área de engenharia tecidual óssea. / Biomaterials that promote and aid bone regeneration have gained great visibility in tissue engineering research, with emphasis on biocomposites from ceramics and polymers. Many challenges cover this area, the main is being to create a material similar to bone, not only in its mechanical strength but also in its bioactivity and porosity. This project focuses on the development and processing of biocomposite blocks formed by hydroxyapatite (HAp) and silk fibroin (SF). The silk fibroin, obtained from the cocoons of the silkworm, was washed in 5% sodium carbonate solution for 30 minutes. Its dissolution was carried out through a ternary solution containing calcium chloride, ethanol and water, in a molar ratio of 1: 2: 8. The HAp was co-precipitated in SF dissolved in ternary solution through phosphate solution (Na2HPO4) under constant stirring. The blocks were manually pressed and their morphology, Ca/P ratio and liquid absorption were evaluated to determine the best HAp/FS ratio. After defined the best ratio, 75%HAp and 25% FS, blocks were formed in a hydraulic press with fixed pressures (50 and 100 MPa). The morphological characteristics were evaluated by SEM, Porosity, Liquid Absorption, Computerized Microtomography (?-CT) and specific surface area (BET). The chemical and structural characteristics were analyzed by EDS, FTIR, TGA and XRD. In addition, the compressive strength, bioactivity and cytotoxicity of the composite were evaluated. The results show a biocomposite with chemical and structural characteristics close to the trabecular bone, mechanical resistance between 2 and 10 MPa and porosity between 30% and 70%, it is biocompatible and with apatite formation capacity. The biomaterial studied presents a good perspective in the field of bone tissue engineering.

La pulpe dentaire est un tissu connectif innervé et vascularisé, contenu dans une structure minéralisée inextensible formée par l’émail, la dentine et le cément. Ce tissu assure l’homéostasie et la sensibilité de la dent. Il est sujet à des lésions sévères faisant suite à une carie ou à un traumatisme. La thérapeutique conventionnelle préconisée alors est le traitement endodontique, qui consiste en l’exérèse de la totalité du tissu pulpaire et le comblement de l’espace évidé par un matériau synthétique bioinerte. Malgré les résultats cliniques satisfaisants, cette thérapeutique induit une fragilisation de la dent et une plus grande susceptibilité aux infections, qui peuvent conduire à terme à la perte de la dent. En se basant sur la présence de cellules souches mésenchymateuses dans la pulpe dentaire, des stratégies de régénération alternatives au traitement endodontique traditionnel sont à l’étude, afin de permettre le maintien des fonctions de nutrition et de sensibilité de la pulpe, garantes de la pérennité de la dent sur l’arcade. Elles s’inscrivent dans deux approches: la régénération de novo, en cas de nécrose du tissu pulpaire et la régénération partielle, lorsque seul le tissu pulpaire endommagé est éliminé et régénéré. Nos travaux portent sur la faisabilité de cette dernière approche dans un modèle préclinique. En effet, dans la perspective d’un transfert vers la clinique humaine, des modèles chez le gros animal doivent être développés afin de tester la faisabilité et le succès de cette thérapie, dans des conditions proches de la clinique. Du fait de ses similitudes avec l’homme en termes d’anatomie et de physiologie, le miniporc représente un modèle de choix pour les études précliniques d’ingénierie pulpaire. L’objectif principal de cette étude est de tester la faisabilité de la régénération pulpaire partielle, en implantant des cellules pulpaires porcines (pDPCs) contenues des hydrogels injectables dans des défauts pulpaires artificiellement créés chez le miniporc. Au cours ce travail, différentes techniques d’imagerie d’évaluation du processus de régénération ont été développées. En particulier, un protocole d’angiographie tridimensionnelle in- pour la visualisation du réseau vasculaire pulpaire a été mise au point. Par ailleurs, en utilisant des paramètres morphométriques spécifiques, initialement développés pour caractériser l’os, une analyse tridimentionnelle par micro-CT des tissus minéralisés de réparation a été élaborée. En appliquant un “split mouth model”, les hydrogels injectables ensemencés ou non par des pDPCs ont été implantés dans des molaires et des prémolaires, après amputation de la pulpe camérale. À 21 jours après la chirurgie, les analyses d’imagerie, d’histologie et d’immunologie ont mis en évidence, qu’indépendamment de la présence des pDPCs, l’implantation des hydrogels a induit la formation d’un pont d’ostéodentine. La caractérisation morphométrique tridimensionnelle a montré que la microarchitecture de ce pont différait largement de la dentine native. De plus, en présence des pDPCs, le processus de réparation était modifié, avec une moins bonne étanchéité du pont. Au cours de ce travail, une technique de suivi non invasive de la régénération a tenté d’être mise au point. Une angiographie tridimensionnelle par soustraction a été réalisée avant et après la procédure de régénération pulpaire partielle. Si les angiographies ont révélé l’entière vascularisation des mâchoires et des dents à croissance continue, l’apport vasculaire des dents matures traitées, du fait de son faible flux, n’a pas pu être mis en évidence. L’absence de régénération partielle de la pulpe dans les conditions testées souligne l’importance des modèles précliniques pour identifier les facteurs promouvant un environnement favorable à la régénération, dans la perspective d’un transfert vers la clinique humaine. / The dental pulp is a connective tissue, which is highly innervated and vascularized, encapsulated in a mineralized inextensible structure formed by enamel, dentin and cementum, ensuring the homeostasis and sensibility of the tooth. The pulp is often damaged by caries and trauma, resulting in infection or necrosis. In such situations, the routine clinical treatment is a root canal therapy, which consists in the elimination of the affected tissue and filling of the endodontic canal system with bioinert synthetic materials. In spite of satisfactory clinical outcomes, none of the original functions is restored and the lack of sensitivity as well as natural defence may lead to tooth fracture and reinfection. Cell-based pulp regeneration could provide a valid alternative to traditional endodontic treatment of damaged teeth. This strategy focuses, in fact, on the preservation of the healthy pulp tissue and the regeneration of the damaged one, by combining stem cells, scaffolds and growth factors. In case of trauma or carious lesion, as the pulp inflammatory reaction is compartmentalized in first instance, such conservative approach could be indicated. Regarding non-rodent animal model, to our knowledge, only Iohara et al. (2009) reported the achievement of partial pulp regeneration in canine tooth by implantation of subfractions of autologous pulp cells; however, in the perspective of a transfer to the human clinic, larger animal models should be developed to test the feasibility and the success of the therapy mimicking the clinical conditions of pulpotomy. Due to dental anatomical and physiological similarities with human, the minipig constitutes a model of choice for preclinical pulp engineering studies. The aim of this study was to develop a preclinical model of partial dental pulp regeneration in minipig, by implanting a pulp construct, made by self-assembling nano-peptide injectable hydrogel and porcine minipig dental pulp cells (pDPCs), in artificially created pulp defects. Secondarily, in the context of this preclinical model, two different techniques of analysis of the regeneration process have been developed. In particular, an in vivo 3D subtraction angiography has been set for the visualization of dental pulp vascular network. Indeed, further developments of this modality open promising perspectives of its application for the morphometric characterization of angiogenesis process in newly formed dental tissues and bone defects. Moreover, using specific morphometric parameters, initially developed to characterize bone, a micro-CT morphometric analysis of the mineralized reparative tissues, obtained by the partial pulp regeneration protocol, has been elaborated. By split mouth model, pulp constructs made with self-assembling injectable nano-peptide hydrogel with and without porcine dental pulp cells (pDPCs) were implanted, after pulp chamber amputation in premolars and molars. At day 21 after surgery, three-dimensional morphometric characterization, Masson’s trichrome and immunolabeled for DSP and BSP were performed on treated teeth. 3D subtraction angiographies have been performed before and after partial pulp regeneration procedure. Regardless of the presence of pDPCs, the implantation of pulp construct induces the formation of an osteodentin bridge, whose microarchitecture sensibly differs from the native dentin. Furthermore, the presence of pDPCs in the construct slightly impairs this reparative process. The latter was led the remaining pulp cells, instead of the pDPCs in the scaffold. Angiographies could show entire vascularization of jaws and continuously growing teeth but blood supply of treated mature permanent teeth could not be displayed. The failure of partial pulp regeneration cell based strategy, in these near-real clinical conditions, highlights the importance of preclinical models, to identify the factors promoting a favourable regenerative environment, in the perspective of a transfer to the human clinics.

Two Systems were designed. The first permits tunable on-demand softening of a hydrogel network. The second permits reversible on demand ligand exchange within a hydrogel network. Both means were shown to be cytocompatible and their uses demonstrated in cell culture of mesenchymal stem cells and 3T3 fibroblast cells.

A engenharia de tecidos está conceituada na cultura prévia de células com proteínas morfogenéticas em Corpos Porosos Estruturais - CPE(s) (Scaffolds) de biomateriais, que simulam a matriz extracelular, oferecendo suporte para o crescimento celular na formação do tecido maduro. Este trabalho estuda a manufatura de corpos-de-prova em alumina através do método de incorporação sistematizada de partículas de sacarose e naftaleno como agentes orgânicos fugitivos formadores de poros, a fim de se obter porosidade específica quanto ao tamanho, volume, morfologia, interconectividade e reprodutibilidade de processo. Optou-se pela cerâmica de alumina devido às suas características universais de manufatura e baixo custo. Os CPE(s) foram caracterizados qualitativa e quantitativamente quanto à morfologia e macroestrutura através de microscopia eletrônica de varredura - MEV e porosimetria de mercúrio e quanto à densidade e porosidade aparente através do teste por imersão (Arquimedes). Verificou-se a viabilidade dos métodos de manufatura empregados na obtenção das características desejáveis para a aplicação proposta. / Tissue Engineering is concerned with the previous culture of cells with morphogenetics proteins grown factors in biomaterials Scaffolds (Corpos Porosos Estruturais - CPE(s)) which simulate the extra cellular matrix, offering support for the cellular growth for the formation of the mature tissue. This work studies the manufacture of alumina samples by the method of systematized incorporation of sugar cane and naphthalene particles as fugitive organic agents for pores generation aiming the obtaining of specific porosities with size to volume relationship, morphology, connective porous and process repeatability. Alumina ceramic was selected due to its universal manufacture characteristics and its low cost. Scaffolds were characterized qualitative and quantitatively to the porous morphology and macrostructure using scanning electronic microscopy - SEM and Mercury porosimetry measurement and the relationship to apparent density and porosity using immersion Archimedes test. The viability of the selected manufacture methods was fulfilled by the obtaintion of desirable characteristics for the proposed application.

A engenharia de tecidos está conceituada na cultura prévia de células com proteínas morfogenéticas em Corpos Porosos Estruturais - CPE(s) (Scaffolds) de biomateriais, que simulam a matriz extracelular, oferecendo suporte para o crescimento celular na formação do tecido maduro. Este trabalho estuda a manufatura de corpos-de-prova em alumina através do método de incorporação sistematizada de partículas de sacarose e naftaleno como agentes orgânicos fugitivos formadores de poros, a fim de se obter porosidade específica quanto ao tamanho, volume, morfologia, interconectividade e reprodutibilidade de processo. Optou-se pela cerâmica de alumina devido às suas características universais de manufatura e baixo custo. Os CPE(s) foram caracterizados qualitativa e quantitativamente quanto à morfologia e macroestrutura através de microscopia eletrônica de varredura - MEV e porosimetria de mercúrio e quanto à densidade e porosidade aparente através do teste por imersão (Arquimedes). Verificou-se a viabilidade dos métodos de manufatura empregados na obtenção das características desejáveis para a aplicação proposta. / Tissue Engineering is concerned with the previous culture of cells with morphogenetics proteins grown factors in biomaterials Scaffolds (Corpos Porosos Estruturais - CPE(s)) which simulate the extra cellular matrix, offering support for the cellular growth for the formation of the mature tissue. This work studies the manufacture of alumina samples by the method of systematized incorporation of sugar cane and naphthalene particles as fugitive organic agents for pores generation aiming the obtaining of specific porosities with size to volume relationship, morphology, connective porous and process repeatability. Alumina ceramic was selected due to its universal manufacture characteristics and its low cost. Scaffolds were characterized qualitative and quantitatively to the porous morphology and macrostructure using scanning electronic microscopy - SEM and Mercury porosimetry measurement and the relationship to apparent density and porosity using immersion Archimedes test. The viability of the selected manufacture methods was fulfilled by the obtaintion of desirable characteristics for the proposed application.

A odontologia moderna, mesmo usando as suas técnicas mais primorosas, na prática, ainda recupera a perda dental com implantes metálicos recobertos por coroas protéticas. Há um empenho coletivo dos cientistas em criar técnicas de desenvolvimento dental in vitro na busca por maneiras de recuperar, de maneira biológica, a ausência dental. Já é possível criar estruturas similares a dentes a partir de células-tronco de origem dental (polpa de dentes permanentes e decíduos) e não dental (células-tronco embrionárias, células-tronco da medula óssea e da crista neural) por meio de recombinação dos tecidos epiteliais e mesenquimais de germes dentais. As técnicas de reconstrução tecidual nunca estiveram tão perto do desenvolvimento da terceira dentição mas a ciência ainda tem muito a aprender no que concerne o estudo da biologia dental e engenharia de tecidos. Não basta saber como um dente se desenvolve; há de se entender como ele interage com o organismo do qual faz ou fará parte. É com esta preocupação que nos propomos a estudar se pode haver uma correlação entre o desenvolvimento do sistema nervoso e vascular de um germe dental transplantado com a posição que ele é implantado e/ou com a presença de tecido ósseo que no leito receptor. Ademais, buscamos saber se o estágio de desenvolvimento do germe dental a ser transplantado pode influenciar a formação de tecido nervoso e vascular na polpa dental ou não. Nossos resultados revelaram que o local do sítio do implante influencia diretamente o desenvolvimento dental e que isto é tempo dependente. A vascularização e a reinervação da polpa dental nos espécimes implantados nas tíbias é mais semelhante ao grupo controle que os implantados nos rins e isto independe da posição de implantação dental. Entretanto, a polpa dental dos germes implantados nos rins parece estar comumente mais sadia, conter mais odontoblastos viáveis e ser capaz de produzir tecidos mineralizados como a osteodentina. / Contemporary dentistry, even using modern techniques, still deal with missing teeth using metal implants coated by prosthetic crowns. However, there is a worldwide effort to develop a biotooth using in vitro techniques. In this way it is already possible to generate structures similar to teeth using recombination of odontogenic and non odontogenic cells in tissue engineering experiments. The transplant of the recombined cells into a host is a necessary and major step to obtain the biotooth. In this context, at the same time that the development of an appropriate sensorial and vascular system in the biotooh is required, there are many unclear questions about it. Therefore, herein we intend to analyze (I) whether may exist a correlation between the stage of development and vascular and nervous re-growth in the dental pulp after tooth transplantation; (II) if the absence or presence of bone could influence this processes or (III) if the position of implantation could change the vascular and/or nervous development in the transplanted tooth. Our results showed that the site of implantation directly alter tooth development modifying morphogenesis and expression of different vascular, perivascular and neural markers in a time dependant way. The re-growth of the vascular and neural tissue on samples transplanted to the tibia is more similar to the control group than the kidney ones and it is non dependant of the position of implantation. However, the pulp tissue of the samples transplanted under the kidney capsule seemed to be healthier as they were capable of producing mineralized tissue such as osteodentin and still had live odontoblasts.

O uso de células tronco já é uma realidade em algumas áreas da Medicina, porém o mesmo não se aplica para a Odontologia, que segue utilizando materiais artificiais para substituir tecidos dentais perdidos. Desde 2000, quando Gronthos e colaboradores identificaram células-tronco na polpa de dentes permanentes, os estudos avançaram para que, num futuro breve, essas células possam ser de fato aplicadas para regenerar tecidos dentais, com destaque para a endodontia, onde o uso dessas células parece ser mais eminente. Dessa forma, esse trabalho procurou analisar a co-participação de células humanas transplantadas e células do hospedeiro em um modelo de engenharia pulpar. Para tanto, células de papila apical, enriquecidas ou não para o marcador CD146, foram transplantadas em câmaras pulpares despulpadas preenchidas com colágeno. Dois modelos animais foram utilizados, sendo um modelo transgênico para o gene GFP e outro imunocomprometido pela aplasia do timo (nude). Os resultados foram analisados nos dias 14 e 21 pós-transplante das amostras em cápsula renal. Nas amostras GFP realizou-se imunofluorescência para o marcador anti-GFP, com o objetivo de identificar as células do hospedeiro, enquanto nas amostras nude utilizou-se o marcador lâmina A para identificar as células humanas transplantadas. Nas análises morfológicas de todas as coroas transplantadas houve a formação de um tecido conjuntivo frouxo de celularidade variável, com a presença de vasos bem formados com eritrócitos em seu interior, inclusive nas coroas que receberam somente colágeno. Somente as amostras que receberam células houve a formação de matriz mineralizada no espaço pulpar, mas nos tempos experimentais analisados não foi possível visualizar as células humanas. Nas amostras nude, o marcador lâmina A foi negativo para todos os grupos que receberam transplante de células. Nas amostras GFPs, o marcador anti-GFP foi positivo na totalidade das células em todas as amostras estudadas. A partir disso concluiu-se que as células-tronco humanas de papila apical transplantadas apesar de terem desempenhado alguma função fisiológica, não foram identificadas após 14 e 21 dias e o tecido neoformado no interior da câmara pulpar era proveniente do hospedeiro. Adicionalmente, concluímos que não é necessário o transplante de células para a formação de um tecido conjuntivo frouxo no interior da câmara pulpar. / The use of stem cells is already a reality in some areas of Medicine, but the same does not apply for Dentistry, which keeps on using artificial materials to replace lost dental tissues. Since 2000, when Gronthos and coleagues identified stem cells in the pulp of permanent teeth, studies advanced so that, in the near future, these cells may actually be applied to regenerate dental tissues, especially in endodontics, in which the use of these cells seems to be more imminent. Thereby, this study sought to examine the co-participation of transplanted human cells and host cells in a model of dental pulp engineering. For this, apical papilla cells enriched or not with CD146 marker, were transplanted into decelluarized pulp chambers (empty crowns) filled with collagen. Two animal models were used, a transgenic model for the GFP gene and an immunocompromised by thymus aplasia (nude). The results were analyzed on days 14 and 21 after transplantation of samples into renal capsule. In the GFP samples immunofluorescence was performed for the anti-GFP marker in order to identify host cells, while in the nude samples the lamina A marker was used to identify the transplanted human cells. In the morphological analysis of all transplanted crowns there was formation of a loose connective tissue of variable cellularity, with the presence of well-formed vessels with erythrocytes inside, including in the crowns that received only collagen. Osteodentine was formed in the pulp chamber only in the samples that received cell, but after the wait time was not possible to visualize the human cells. In the nude samples the Lamina A marker was negative for all groups transplanted with cells. In the GFPs samples, the anti-GFP marker was positive for all cells in this group. We concluded that it was not necessary to use transplanted cells to form a connective tissue inside the pulp chamber and although transplanted human stem cells from apical papilla played some physiological function, after 14 and 21 days of transplantation, they were no longer present in the tissue newly formed by the host.

A l’heure actuelle, les alliages à bases de titane sont les matériaux les plus utilisés en implantologie osseuse. Les procédés émergents de fabrication additive, tel que la fusion par faisceau d’électrons (EBM), permettent de fabriquer des structures architecturées sur-mesure en titane. Dans les cas cliniques difficiles, il est nécessaire de stimuler activement les cellules souches osseuses pour qu’elles produisent de l’os. Les protéines osseuses morphogénétiques (BMP-2, BMP-7) ont cette capacité d’ostéo-induction et sont utilisées en clinique. Cependant, leur délivrance par matrice de collagène est très mal contrôlée. Des revêtements de surface à base de polymères naturels, tels que la poly(L-lysine) et l’acide hyaluronique (PLL/HA), peuvent former des films biomimétiques servant de nanoréservoir pour ces protéines. L’objectif de cette thèse était de développer un implant innovant constitué de structures 3D en titane à la fois architecturées et ostéo-inductrices. Pour cela, des structures 3D poreuses en alliage de titane (Ti-6Al-4V) constituées de cellules cubiques ont été construites par EBM. La porosité a été bien contrôlée avec une différence par rapport aux modèles CAO de moins de 1%. La BMP-7 a été chargée et quantifiée dans les films biomimétiques. La capacité d’ostéo-induction des films a été évaluée avec des cellules souches mésenchymateuses de souris par leur expression de la phosphatase alcaline. L’expression de cette enzyme a augmenté de façon dose-dépendante avec la dose de BMP-7 initialement chargée. Le dépôt du film ostéo-inducteur sur les structures 3D architecturées a été caractérisé par microscopies optique et électronique. Les cellules souches cultivées au sein des structures 3D bioactives se différencient en cellules osseuses démontrant ainsi leur capacité ostéo-inductrice sur le court terme in vitro. Des tests préliminaires in vivo sont actuellement réalisés pour tester ces structures 3D bioactives dans un modèle fémoral de défaut osseux chez le rat. / To date, titanium-based alloys (Ti) remain the most used implantable materials for load-bearing applications. Emerging additive manufacturing techniques such as electron beam melting (EBM) enable to custom-build architectured scaffolds of controlled macroporosity. In very difficult clinical situations, potent bioactive signals are needed to boost stem cells: osteoinductive molecules such as bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP-2) are currently used for this purpose. However, one of their limitations is their inappropriate delivery with collagen sponges. Biomimetic surface coatings made of the biopolymers poly(L-lysine) and hyaluronic acid, (PLL/HA) polyelectrolyte films, have recently been engineered as nanoreservoirs for BMP proteins. The aim of this PhD thesis was to develop architectured and osteoinductive 3D titanium-based scaffolds as innovative synthetic bone grafts. To this end, we used the EBM additive manufacturing technique to engineer porous scaffolds with cubit unit-cells. Their surface was coated with biomimetic films containing the bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP-7). The porosity was well controlled with a difference from CAD models of less than 1%. The osteoinductive capacity of BMP-7 loaded films was assessed using murine mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by quantifying their alkaline phosphatase (ALP) expression, which increased in a dose-dependent manner. The coating of the 3D architectured scaffolds by the bioactive film was characterized using optical and electron microscopy techniques. Finally, the 3D architectured scaffolds coated with BMP-7-loaded films were proved to be osteoinductive at the early stage in vitro. Preliminary experiments are currently done to assess their performance in an in vivo model of a critical size femoral bone defect in rat.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is secreted by the host tissue and is an important key for mechanisms of cell responses. The main properties of the ECM materials include biodegradability, biocompatibility, and nanostructured in a 3D fibre network. In addition, ECM is composed of important molecules like growth factors, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), collagens, fibronectin, and lamin, while final composition depends on the native tissue. We have selected for this study ECMs from cortical bone (B-ECM) and pericardium (P-ECM) tissue. These ECMs were digested by collagenase, pepsin and trypsin. Each of these digested ECMs was used to produce PLLA-ECM based electrospun scaffolds by two different methodologies (1) non-crosslinked (NCLK) hybrid electrospun scaffolds composed of PLLA and digested ECMs and (2) PLLA-collagen electrospun scaffolds crosslinked with digested ECMs (CLK scaffolds). This research proposes the characterization of the digestion promoted by collagenase, pepsin and trypsin on the ECMs, followed by the evaluation of the potential of the digested ECMs and of the PLLA-ECM scaffolds for bone regeneration. The proteinaceous mixture, produced from the ECM digestion, had compositions, which were dependent on the type of ECM, and on the enzymatic treatment, as shown by protein quantification, GAGs quantification, TGA, SDS-page and TPEF-SHG. All the results point to an extensive digestion caused by collagenase and pepsin and a milder digestion caused by trypsin. The digested ECMs were incorporated into nanofibrous scaffolds, and the products were characterized by SEM, TGA, DSC and TPEF-SHG. The porous nanofibrous mesh from non-crosslinked scaffolds exhibited fibres without beads and a uniform diameter. However, the crosslinked scaffolds presented non-organized agglomerates around the fibres making a less porous surface. TGA and DSC suggest the incorporation of the ECMs on the scaffolds. However, the distribution of the protein on the polymer was mostly dependent on the incorporation method, as showed by TPEF-SHG. To access the biomaterial ability for bone regeneration, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) were cultured on the scaffolds over 21 days. Osteogenic markers such as ALP activity, mineral nodule formation by ARS staining, col1a2 immunostaining, and gene expression were analysed to access how the materials could induce BMMSCs osteodifferentiation. Comparing NCLK to CLK scaffolds the key factor for osteogenesis is the release of soluble factors, showing NCLK scaffolds with a higher ability to induce mineralization than CLK scaffolds. However, when comparing the effect of the enzymatic digestion on the mineralization of the scaffolds over the days, it is possible to establish that the effect of the enzymatic treatment is also related to the type of ECM. Despite all those differences, some PLLA-ECM scaffolds exhibited potential to induce earlier mineralization, observed by the analysis of bglap, runX2, Osx, sparc and col1a2 genes as osteogenic markers. / A matriz extracelular (ECM) é secretada pela células no tecido nativo e reúne propriedades chave para respostas celulares. Entre suas principais propriedades destacam-se: biodegradabilidade, biocompatibilidade e nanoestruturada tridimensionalmente. Além disso, é rica em sinalizadores celulares tais como: fatores de crescimento, glicosaminaglicanas (GAGs), colágeno, fibronectina e laminina, no entanto sua composição depende do tecido na qual se encontra. Para este estudo, foram selecionadas ECMs provenientes de osso cortical e de pericárdio. Estas ECMs foram digeridas por colagenase, pepsina e tripsina. Cada um dos produtos de digestão foi utlizado para a produção de suportes eletrofiados de PLLA-ECM, utilizando-se dois diferentes métodos de incorporação, (1) Suportes eletrofiados híbridos de PLLA-ECM obtidos a partir da eletrofiação da co-solução em 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluor-2-propanol, e (2) imobilização das ECM digeridas sobre suportes eletrofiados de PLLA-colágeno. O presente trabalho propõe-se a caracterizar as ECMs digeridas e a avaliar o potencial dos suportes eletrofiados de PLLA-ECM para a regeneração óssea. A mistura proteinácea obtida a partir da digestão das ECMs, mostrou que a sua composição é dependentes do tipo de ECM e da digestão enzimática, resultado este confirmado através da quantificação de proteínas, quantificação de glicosaminoglicanas, TGA, SDS-page e TPEF-SHG. A partir destes, foi observada que a colagenase é a enzima que promove a maior degradação das ECMs, enquanto que a tripsina promove uma degradação em menor escala. As matrizes digeridas foram incorporadas no material nanoestruturado, estes foram caraterizados por SEM, TGA, DSC e TPEF-SHG. Observou-se que a malha eletrofiada a partir da co-solução de PLLA-ECM exibiu a formação de fibras de diâmetro uniforme, enquanto que os suportes imobilizados apresentaram a formação de aglomerados sólidos ao redor das fibras, originando uma malha menos porosa. As análises de TGA e DSC confirmaram a incoporação das ECMs nas malhas eletrofiadas, e através da técnica de TPEF-SHG observou-se a distribuição das proteinas no polímero. O potencial dos materiais para a regeneração óssea foi avaliado através da cultura de células tronco mesenquimais de medula óssea sobre os suportes eletrofiados durante 21 dias, e em seguida, medidas de ALP, quantificação de coloração com vermelho de alizarina, imunofluorescência com anticorpo col1a2, e expressão de gênica foram analisadas para a avaliação de como os materiais eletrofiados de PLLA-ECM induzem a osteodiferenciação. Comparando-se materiais produzidos por co-solução e os materiais imobilizados foi possível observar que a resposta osteogênica é maior nos materiais híbridos devido a liberação de fatores solúveis dos suportes eletrofiados. No entanto, comparando-se o efeito da digestão enzimática na capacidade de mineralização dos suportes , é possível observar que o efeito da digestão enzimática é dependente do tipo de ECM. Em geral, foi possível observar que os suportes eletrofiados de PLLA-ECM exibem potencial para uso em engenharia de tecidos, em específico, regeneração óssea, uma vez que apresentaram-se regulados o conjunto de genes bglap, RunX2, Osx, sparc e col1a2.

The biodegradability and when functionalised biocompatibility of aliphatic polycarbonates (APCs) makes them an attractive class of materials for biomedical applications such as tissue engineering scaffolds and drug-delivery carriers. One route to accessing a wide-range of well-defined and functional APCs is the controlled ring-opening polymerisation (ROP) of cyclic carbonates. In turn, these would ideally be prepared by the direct coupling of CO2 with diols to give water as the only by-product. In this way, the combination of CO2 and sugar-derived diols draws upon two natural renewable building blocks for the construction of polycarbonates that are anticipated to show good biocompatibility properties. Chapter 2 develops a simple and mild alternative to the traditional use of phosgene derivatives for the synthesis of six-membered cyclic carbonates from 1,3-diols and CO2. DFT calculations highlighted the need to lower both the CO2-insertion and ring-closing kinetic barriers to cyclic carbonate formation. Organic superbase, 1,8- diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) enabled the formation of carbonate species at 1 atm CO2 pressure whereas, the introduction of a leaving group strategy lowered the cyclisation barrier. Mechanistic considerations suggested a kinetic preference for ring- closing via a nucleophilic addition-elimination pathway rather than a SN2-like intramolecular cyclisation. Chapter 3 applies the procedure with CO2 to the preparation of a novel monomer from natural sugar, ᴅ-mannose. ROP was carried out via an organocatalytic approach and a preference for head-tail linkages in the polycarbonate backbone indicated by NMR spectroscopy and supported by DFT calculations. Chapter 4 utilises CO2 to invert the natural stereochemistry of sugars and create a thymidine-based monomer. The thermodynamic parameters of the ROP with 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (TBD) catalyst are determined and the properties of the polycarbonates investigated to include preliminary cell attachment studies. Finally, chapter 5 details the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from 2- deoxy-ᴅ-ribose and the investigation into the different ROP behaviour of the α- and β- anomers. The ability to tune the polymer properties through copolymerisation with trimethylene carbonate (TMC) is also discussed.