Tissue Engineering Using Novel Rapid Prototyped Diamond-Like Carbon Coated Scaffolds

In this study we investigate an alternative method for designing and obtaining novel scaffolds for analyzing the influence of geometries on tissue engineering processes. The method is based on the combination of conventional and accessible rapid prototyping technologies with plasma processing using a hydrogen-free diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating in order to improve celltissue interactions. The proposed method allows a precise control of scaffold structure and enables in vitro studies linked to cell growth and tissue formation because of the highly biocompatible DLC surface. Several designs with different hole sizes and surface topographies have been manufactured for subsequent in vitro study of human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) growth and aggregation, so as to validate our approach.