Designer Scaffolds for Interfacial Bioengineering

Abstract

In regenerative medicine, the healing of the interfacial zone between tissues is a major challenge, yet approaches for studying the complex microenvironment of this interface remain lacking. Here, we study these complex living interfaces by manufacturing modular "blocks" of naturally porous decellularized plant-derived scaffolds with a computer numerical controlled mill. We demonstrate how each scaffold can be seeded with different cell types and easily assembled in a manner akin to LEGO bricks to create an engineered tissue interface (ETI). Cells migrate across the interface formed between an empty scaffold and a scaffold pre-seeded with cells. However, when both scaffolds contain cells, only a shallow cross-over zone of cell infiltration forms at the interface. As a proof-of-concept study, we use ETIs to investigate the interaction between lab grown bone and connective tissues. Consistent with the above, a cross-over zone of the two distinct cell types forms at the interface between scaffolds, otherwise the populations remain distinct. Finally, we demonstrate how ETIs are biocompatible in vivo, becoming vascularized and integrated into surrounding tissue after implantation. This work creates new tissue design avenues for understanding biological processes or the development of synthetic artificial tissues.