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Projektleiter:
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Michael Gelinsky

Laufzeit:
01/2012 - 12/2013

Projektbeschreibung:
Defects caused by trauma or tumour resection often affect more than one type of tissue. There is a need for regenerative therapies of such defects, located at tissue interfaces, especially for reconstructive and plastic surgery. 3D plotting is a rapid prototyping technique which can be used to produce individual-shaped and patient-specific implants on the basis of 3D data sets with a complex external as well as internal geometry. A variety of pasty materials can be processed into porous or compact scaffolds under mild conditions allowing also the simultaneous plotting of biological components such as native proteins (like growth factors), blood components and living cells. Thus, 3D plotting has a high potential for generation of individualised, clinically applicable cell-matrix constructs – in contrast to other rapid prototyping techniques which allow either the fabrication of implants with adequate dimensions (e.g. selective laser sintering) or are suitable for deposition of living cells (e.g. 2D printing technologies). Aim of the project is the utilisation of 3D plotting techniques for the generation of complex scaffolds for regeneration of defects which affect two different tissues. Such scaffolds consist of two phases, mimicking the respective extracellular matrix (ECM) properties, which are both tightly connected to each other without additional adhesive components. Main focus of the project will be on biphasic scaffolds combining hard and soft tissue substitutes (as a first model: bone and fat), but also scaffolds for the repair of osteochondral defects comprising a chondral and a bony part will be investigated. As third component, channels for vascularisation and/or nutrient supply will be integrated. An important aspect of the project will be the colonisation of the complex scaffolds with cells: human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) will be applied whose differentiation along the osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic lineage will be induced by the respective culture conditions. Besides the convent onal seeding of the scaffolds with cells after their fabrication, the potential of the 3D plotting technology for populating of the constructs during their fabrication will be worked out. In addition, plotted hollow biopolymer strands will be integrated into the scaffold constructs, acting as models for the vasculature and applicable for perfusion culture systems.

Projektbearbeiter:
Ashwini Rahul Akkineni

Kooperationspartner:
Prof. Dr. med. Klaus-Peter Günther
Direktor der Klinik und Poliklinik für Orthopädie, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus an der Technischen Universität Dresden