Blended PCL/PLGA scaffold fabrication using multi-head deposition system

Solid free-form fabrication (SFF) technologies can endow a great chance for regeneration of damaged tissues or organs in scaffold-based tissue engineering. In this study, a novel blended scaffold fabrication through multi-head deposition system (MHDS) for tissue engineering is introduced. Fabrication of 3D tissue scaffolds using MHDS required the combination of several technologies, including motion control, thermal control, pneumatic control, and CAD/CAM software. Blended 3D poly-caprolactone (PCL)/poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) scaffolds with a uniform pore size of 600 mu m and a line width and height of 200 mu m were well fabricated having a fully interconnected architecture and calculated porosity of about 69.6%. The compressive strength and modulus of the scaffold is each about 0.8 and 12.9 MPa, which is enough to maintain its architecture during in vitro cell experiments. Finally, the biocompatibility of fabricated 3D scaffold was demonstrated through the cell proliferation experiment. In the near future, blended PCL/PLGA scaffold will be a good option of scaffold for tissue engineering. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.