Development of Multiple Layers of PLCL Scaffold for Vascular Tissue Engineering

Cardiovascular disease remains to be the major cause of death in Indonesia by 2018. Treatment to replace the ruptured blood vessel by a bypass surgery is often limited by the availability of autologous vascular, while the use of synthetic conduit is challenged by the mechanical mismatch and foreign body reactions. Tissue engineering offers a new approach to create artificial blood vessel with growth potential similar to the native tissue. This study aimed to develop the multiple layers of the cylindrical scaffold made of poly (lactic acid-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) by the phase separation and the freeze drying method. The three types of scaffolds were fabricated: single layer, double and triple layer scaffold. The effect to the microstructural behaviour was observed using FESEM. The mechanical properties were characterized using ring tensile test. The biological properties including cell attachment and proliferation using endothelial cells (ECs) were evaluated during one week of culture. SEM observation revealed that the pore size increased as the number of layer increased. Single, double and triple layers of scaffolds had the average pore size of 219 μm², 744 μm² and 684 μm², respectively. Meanwhile, the porosity significantly decreased with the increase number of layers. The porosity of single, double and triple layer scaffolds were 92.8%, 68.9 %, and 64.9%, respectively. As the porosity decreased, the mechanical properties including elastic modulus, tensile strength and burst pressure improved in significant amount. The elastic modulus increased 2 folds from the single layer (0.98 MPa), double layers (7.36 MPa) and triple layers (15.45 MPa) scaffolds. The tensile strength of single, double and triple layer scaffold were 216 kPa, 1039 kPa, and 1453 kPa, respectively. The burst pressure of the single layer scaffold was 119 mmHg and increased in double layers and triple layers scaffolds, 305 mmHg and 604 mmHg, respectively. An increased of cell proliferation on the PLCL scaffold during one week of culture indicated that the scaffold is biocompatible for tissue regeneration. This study demonstrated that the mechanical properties can be controlled by creating multiple layers of the cylindrical scaffold. The double and triple layers cylindrical scaffolds are potential candidates for vascular tissue engineering application.