Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Tissue engineering heavily relies on cell-seeded scaffolds to support the complex biological and mechanical requirements of a target organ. However, in addition to safety and efficacy, translation of tissue engineering technology will depend on manufacturability, affordability, and ease of adoption. Therefore, there is a need to develop scalable biomaterial scaffolds with sufficient bioactivity to eliminate the need for exogenous cell seeding. Herein, we describe implementation of an electroactive biodegradable elastomer for urinary bladder tissue engineering. To create an electrically conductive and mechanically robust scaffold to support bladder tissue regeneration, we develop a functionalization method wherein the hydrophobic conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is polymerized in situ within a similarly hydrophobic citrate-based elastomer poly(octamethylene-citrate-co-octanol) (POCO) film. We demonstrate the efficacy of this scaffold for bladder augmentation in primarily female athymic rats, comparing PEDOT-POCO scaffolds to mesenchymal stromal cell-seeded POCO scaffolds. PEDOT-POCO recovers bladder function and anatomical structure comparably to the cell-seeded POCO scaffolds and significantly better than non-cell-seeded POCO scaffolds. This manuscript reports a functionalization method that confers electroactivity to a biodegradable elastic scaffold, facilitating the successful restoration of anatomical and physiological function of an organ.
Source: Nature Communications
Language: English
Subfield: Surgery
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,990
Funders: National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Northwestern University, National Institutes of Health, Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, Harvard University, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, Northwestern University, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, Division of Materials Research, Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems
Awards: G1169090945, G1193167259, NNCI: Soft Hybrid Nanotechnology Experimental (SHyNE) Resource, G1776751631, G3454132534, G4285583887, G4289625387, MRSEC: Center for Multifunctional Materials, G4912152698, G5218300437, G6101976803, Developing a SMART scaffold for bladder augmentation, Nonhuman Primate Model of Bladder Regeneration Using Autologous Bone Marrow Cells, G9000039653, Biotechnology Predoctoral Training Program
OpenAlex ID: W4405986587