Development of biodegradable scaffolds by leaching self-assembled magnetic sugar particles

Technologies to develop scaffolds with controlled diameter and high porosity have great significance in tissue engineering. We have fabricated biodegradable 2D and 3D scaffolds with ordered array of pores by casting polymer on self-assembled d-fructose (sugar) microspheres. First, ferrite microparticles were encapsulated in sugar spheres to make them become magnetized. After sieving magnetic sugar particles, those diameter-controlled particles were attracted by a magnet to form a self-assembled template for polymer casting. Interspaces of self-assembled template were successfully infiltrated with polymer. After removal of sugar particles, ordered array of pores were generated on the surface of scaffolds. Elastic modulus of a sheet-like scaffold was measured to be 2.0 MPa and was reasonably lower than that of a nonporous sheet. The biocompatibility of the developed scaffold was confirmed by the viability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells.