World J Mens Health.  2018 Jan;36(1):66-72. 10.5534/wjmh.17025.

Feasibility of Polycaprolactone Scaffolds Fabricated by Three-Dimensional Printing for Tissue Engineering of Tunica Albuginea

• Yu HS
• Park J
• Lee HS
• Park SA
• Lee DW
• Park K

• KMID: 2399173
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.17025

Abstract

PURPOSE
To investigate the feasibility of a polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold fabricated by three-dimensional (3D) printing for tissue engineering applications for tunica albuginea.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
PCL scaffolds were fabricated by use of a 3D printing system. Two scaffolds were fabricated that differed in the architecture of the lay-down pattern: a 90°PCL scaffold and a 45°PCL scaffold. Mechanical properties were measured to compare tensile strength between the two scaffold types. The scaffolds were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. The scaffolds were seeded with fibroblast cells, and the ability of these scaffolds to support the cells was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining.
RESULTS
The PCL scaffolds had well-structured shapes, regular arrays, and good interconnection in SEM images. The horizontal and vertical Young's modulus coefficients were 13 and 12 MPa for the 90°PCL scaffold and 19 and 21 MPa for the 45°PCL scaffold, respectively. Microscopy images revealed that human fibroblast cells covered the entire scaffold surface. Immunofluorescence staining of ER-TR7 confirmed that the fibroblast cells remained viable and proliferated throughout the time course of the culture.
CONCLUSIONS
This preliminary study provides experimental evidence for the feasibility of 3D printing of PCL scaffolds for tissue engineering applications of tunica albuginea.

Keyword

Fibroblasts; Penis; Printing, three-dimensional; Tissue engineering

MeSH Terms

Elastic Modulus
Fibroblasts
Fluorescent Antibody Technique
Humans
Male
Microscopy
Penis
Printing, Three-Dimensional*
Tensile Strength
Tissue Engineering*

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Scanning electron micrograph images of 90° plotted polycaprolactone (PCL) 300/300 scaffold (A) and 45° plotted PCL 300/300 scaffold (B).

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  Fig. 2 Mechanical properties of three-dimensional printed polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds. Mean tensile stress, strain, and Young's modulus values of two different types of PCL scaffolds.

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  Fig. 3 Scanning electron microscopic images of fibroblasts on 90° polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold (A) and 45°PCL scaffold cultured for 2 weeks in vitro (B).

• 

  Fig. 4 Immunofluorescence staining of fibroblast cells with DAPI (4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) and ER-TR7 on 90° (A) and 45° (A, B) polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds. Confocal microscopic images of 45°PCL scaffolds (B).

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