Aysu Arslan
Hacettepe University
Turkey
Title: Polybutyleneadipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) scaffolds for tissue engineering applications
Biography
Biography: Aysu Arslan
Abstract
Polybutyleneadipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) is an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester based on the monomers 1,4-butanediol, adipic acid and terephthalic acid. Recently, it has been considered as a promising biomaterial for tissue engineering applications due to its non-toxicity, desired physical properties and complete biodegradability under enzymatic conditions. However, existing studies are limited to cytotoxicity and basic cell proliferation assays with non-functional PBAT membranes which is not enough to understand PBAT’s behaviour as scaffolds for tissue regenaration. In this study, 2D and 3D porous PBAT scaffolds were fabricated via solvent casting, electrospinning, solvent casting-particulate leaching and melt molding-particulate leaching methods. Fabricated scaffolds were characterized due to their morphologies, mechanical properties, water absorption capacities, wettabilities and pre-osteoblastic cell promotion in order to estimate its potential for tissue regeneration. PBAT scaffolds were successfully fabricated in various structural forms with up to 90% porosities. Attachment and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts on PBAT surfaces was observed with scanning electron microscope (SEM) on the 4th, 24th hours, 3rd and 11th day of cell culture. Results show that cells favoured the neat PBAT surfaces in all fabricated structural forms. At the 11th day of the cell culture, PBAT surfaces were covered by cells and extracellular matrix secreted by the cells. As a result, its easy processability, good mechanical properties, biocompatibility and well-known biodegradability makes it a powerful candidate for tissue engineering applications. In further studies, tissue engineering potentials of neat and modified 3D electrospun PBAT scaffolds will be investigated.
