Compositions, apparatuses and methods for making and using bioscaffolds
The present disclosure relates to compositions, apparatus and methods for generating one or more scaffolds, including: mixing a hydrogel material and/or an extracellular matrix (ECM) protein in an aqueous solvent to generate an aqueous process solution; and cryoelectrospinning the aqueous process solution onto a plurality of conductive probes extending from a conductive surface of a collector plate disposed within a process chamber under conditions sufficient to generate one or more scaffolds configured to mimic a preselected soft tissue decellularized extracellular matrix. Scaffold compositions are also provided having preselected or tuned characteristics. The scaffolds provide a promising stromal cell delivery vehicle for the remediation of fibrosis.
1 . A scaffold, comprising: a cryoelectrospun alginate and elastin material that mimics decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM), wherein the alginate and elastin are cross-linked.
2 . The scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold is characterized as lyophilized scaffold, and wherein the lyophilized scaffold comprises 99.9 percent weight to 0.1 percent weight alginate, and 0.1 percent weight to 99.9 percent weight elastin, wherein the percent weight is the percent weight of the total lyophilized scaffold.
3 . The scaffold of claim 2 , wherein the scaffold is rehydratable following lyophilization.
4 . The scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold further comprises one or more biodegradable or biocompatible polymers.
5 . The scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold further comprises electrospun collagen.
6 . The scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold further comprises natural polymer, collagen, gelatin, silk fibroin, hyaluronic acid, chitosan, agarose, synthetic polymer, poly(alpha esters), poly(lactate acid), poly(glycolic acid), polyorthoesters, polyanhydrides and their copolymers, or combinations thereof.
7 . The scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold further comprises one or more ECM proteins such as collagen, laminin, and combinations thereof.
8 . The scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold is characterized as a cryoelectrospun scaffold that mimics the decellularized ECM of one or more soft tissue, salivary tissue, mammary tissue, heart tissue, pancreatic tissue, or the like.
9 . The scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold is characterized as a scaffold that mimics a decellularized ECM of one or more soft tissue organs such as salivary tissue, lung tissue, liver tissue, and the like.
10 . The scaffold of claim 1 , wherein, when hydrated, one or more fibers and/or pores of the scaffold have a similar organization and reticulated topography as native ECM of a preselected organ or preselected tissue.
11 . The scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold is capable of supporting growth and/or differentiation of one or more cells to become fibrotic cells, mimicking fibrotic tissues, or to serve as fibrosis model.
12 . The scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold contains a plurality of stromal cells.
13 . The scaffold of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of stromal cells are primary E16 mesenchyme cells.
14 . The scaffold of claim 12 , wherein the scaffold contains one or more fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) proteins.
15 . The scaffold of claim 14 , wherein the scaffold provides an anti-fibrotic activity in vitro.
16 . The scaffold of claim 13 , wherein the scaffold promotes stromal and non-fibrotic phenotype of stromal cells in vitro.
17 . The scaffold of claim 12 , wherein the scaffold promotes an anti-fibrotic activity of stromal cells in vitro.
18 . The scaffold of claim 13 , wherein the scaffold reduces a fibrotic phenotype of myofibroblasts in vitro.
19 . The scaffold of claim 18 , wherein the scaffold reduces the fibrotic phenotype in vitro in the presence of a fibrotic stimulant Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1 (TGFb1).
20 . The scaffold of claim 13 , wherein the scaffold is viscoelastic and provides an anti-fibrotic activity in vitro.
21 . The scaffold of claim 13 , wherein the scaffold is viscoelastic and provides an anti-fibrotic activity in vivo.
22 . The scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold is viscoelastic and provides an anti-fibrotic activity in vitro.
23 . The scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold is viscoelastic and provides an anti-fibrotic activity in vivo.
24 . The scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold reduces a fibrotic phenotype of myofibroblasts in vitro.
25 . The scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold reduces a fibrotic phenotype in vitro in the presence of fibrotic stimulant TGFb1.