3D scanning probe nanotomography of tissue spheroid fibroblasts interacting with electrospun polyurethane scaffold

摘要

We present a 3D study of nanostructural features of a bioprinted tissue spheroid interacting with polyurethanedual-scale biocompatible scaffold manufactured by three-dimensional printing and electrospinning. Three-dimensional analysisof fibroblasts interacting with electrospun polyurethane fibers was conducted using scanning probe nanotomographywith an experimental setup combining ultramicrotome and a scanning probe microscope. Three-dimensional reconstructiondemonstrates direct visualization of cell membrane protrusions and coherent cell-fiber interfaces, the formation of which isa prerequisite for an efficient tissue engineered implant. Analysis of obtained 3D data allows for quantitative calculation ofthe important morphological parameters of adhered cells, scaffolds, and cell-scaffold interfaces. The proposed method maybe successfully applied to investigate 3D cell-scaffold constructs at nanoscale.