Uni-axial Stretching Generated Poly (E-caprolactone) Film for Human Vascular Tissue Engineering Application

Abstract

Poor scaffold function could impair vascular tissue regeneration, limiting the clinical translation of tissue-engineered vascular grafts. In this work, poly(E-caprolactone) (PCL) films with anisotropic geometries and micropore patterns were developed and fabricated, to mimic the extracellular matrices (ECM) for the complex architecture reconstruction of blood vessels. Uniaxial stretching induced three-dimensional orientated ridge/groove arrays on PCL films with enhanced mechanical properties. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) grew and aligned well on the PCL films with up-regulated expression of contractile smooth muscle cell genes. In addition, the PCL films exhibited inherent stability in an erosive environment, thereby better retaining the anisotropic geometries. PCL films with micropore patterns could be achieved via femtosecond laser drilling, which mimicked the vascular basement membrane for nutrient permeability, MSCs alignment on one surface of the films, and rapid endothelialisation on the opposite surface of the films. In short, this thesis explores the use of anisotropic geometries and micropore patterns for the generation of multi-functional film scaffolds that are capable of mimicking ECM for facilitating vascular tissue regeneration.