Composite biomaterials
Provided herein are composite scaffold biomaterials including two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits, each including a decellularized plant or fungal tissue from which cellular materials and nucleic acids of the tissue are removed, the decellularized plant or fungal tissue having a 3-dimensional porous structure, the two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits being assembled into the composite scaffold biomaterial and held together via gel casting using a hydrogel glue; via complementary interlocking geometry of the two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits; via guided assembly based biolithography (GAB); via chemical cross-linking; or any combinations thereof. Methods for producing such scaffold biomaterials, as well as methods and uses thereof, are also provided.
1 . A composite scaffold biomaterial comprising:
two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits, each comprising a decellularized plant or fungal tissue from which cellular materials and nucleic acids of the tissue are removed, the decellularized plant or fungal tissue comprising a 3-dimensional porous structure;
the two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits being assembled into the composite scaffold biomaterial and held together via; gel casting using a hydrogel glue in combination with complementary/interlocking geometry of the two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits, or chemical cross-linking in combination with complementary/interlocking geometry of the two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits; or any combinations thereof, wherein the composite scaffold biomaterial is cellulose-based.
2 . The composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 1 , wherein the two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits are additionally held together via guided assembly based biolithography.
3 . The composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel glue comprises gelatin, collagen, agarose, hyaluronic acid, alginate, fibrin, fibronectin, agar, PEG, PVA, or any combinations thereof.
4 . The composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 1 , wherein the two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits act as a scaffold for the hydrogel glue to form around.
5 . The composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits are coated with the hydrogel glue.
6 . The composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel glue comprises gelatin, which is cross-linked with glutaraldehyde and sodium borohydride reduction.
7 . The composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel glue further comprises one or more agents wherein the one or more agents is a therapeutic drug, a signalling-molecule, a growth factor, a metabolite, an ECM protein or component, or any combinations thereof.
8 . The composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 1 , wherein the complementary interlocking geometry of the two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits comprises a peg-and-hole friction-fit interlocking geometry.
9 . The composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the scaffold biomaterial subunits comprises or is seeded with a first cell type optionally wherein at least one other scaffold biomaterial subunit comprises or is seeded with a second cell type.
10 . The composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 9 , wherein the composite scaffold biomaterial comprises an interface between adjacent scaffold biomaterial subunits which mimics a tissue interface, such as a bone-fibroblast tissue interface.
11 . The composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 9 , wherein the scaffold biomaterials comprise ECM deposition at least one interface between adjacent scaffold biomaterial subunits.
12 . The composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 2 , wherein the two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits are assembled into the composite scaffold biomaterial and held together via guided assembly based biolithography (GAB).
13 . The composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 12 , wherein the two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits comprise at least one subunit comprising plant or fungus-derived biomaterial, and at least one subunit comprising a bacterial cellulose.
14 . The composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 1 , wherein the two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits are assembled into the composite scaffold biomaterial and held together via chemical cross-linking.
15 . The composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of two or more of the scaffold biomaterial subunits are modified to feature carboxymethyl and/or hydroxyl ethyl cellulose functional groups, which are cross-linked together by citric acid and heated to hold the composite scaffold biomaterial together.
16 . The composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 1 , further comprising one or more agents, wherein the one or more agents is a therapeutic drug, a signalling molecule, a growth factor, a metabolite, an ECM protein or component, or any combinations thereof.
17 . The composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 1 , wherein the decellularized plant or fungal tissue is hemicellulose-based, chitin-based, chitosan-based, pectin-based, lignin-based, lignan-based, or any combinations thereof.
18 . A method for tissue repair or regeneration; for providing an implant; for culturing one or more cell types; for mimicking an in vivo tissue or tissue interface; for bone tissue engineering; for repair or regeneration of bone; for transporting a fluid or liquid; for mimicking a tissue interface; for wound healing; for delivery of a therapeutic drug, a signalling molecule, a growth factor, a metabolite, an ECM protein or component, or any combinations thereof; or any combinations thereof; in a subject in need thereof, said method comprising:
providing the composite scaffold biomaterial of claim 1 ; and
introducing the composite scaffold biomaterial to the subject at a site in need thereof.