Towards Topographical and Chemical Patterning of Tecoflex Polyurethane

Abstract

In opening a new frontier of tissue engineering, the Schwartz group previously developed methods for a diverse array of materials to spatially control the cell growth, which in turn self-assembled extracellular matrix that can be harvested for guided tissue regeneration. However, despite these successes, many of the materials studied – PET, PCLF, and PEEK – are mechanically and biochemically incompatible with cell surfaces. As such, Tecoflex Polyurethane, a shape memory elastomer, was explored as a compatible biomaterial to translate the Schwartz method. This present study aims to first, establish on Tecoflex surfaces the reproducibility of topographical patterns that provide environmental cues. Secondly, this study demonstrates the feasibility of depositing upon the pattern polymer a zirconium oxide/self-assembled mono-phosphonate (SAMP) layer with cell-recruiting ability. Patterns were assessed through confocal microscopy, SEM, among other imaging techniques. In showing the replicability of topographical and chemical patterns on Tecoflex, this study presents the elastomer as a novel, effective material for translational medicine that seeks to reconstruct cellular architecture in damaged soft tissues.