Composite Scaffolds of Natural and Synthetic Polymers for Bladder Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Composite scaffolds with a layered structure (chitosan-PLGA-chitosan) were formed through a combination of solvent casting and controlled-rate freezing and lyophilization. The 3D architecture, stress-strain behavior, and permeability to urea of these scaffolds was determined. Additionally, a four week long degradation study and a fibroblast cell culture study were performed. The results show that the composite scaffolds contain both the layered and porous structural features. The composite scaffold shows significant potential for use in tissue engineering applications. The composite contains both layered and porous structural features and provides suitable mechanical properties. The scaffold is relatively impermeable to urea. The composite demonstrates the capacity for cell colonization and the potential for cell growth.