RUI: Spatially and Compositionally Gradient Scaffolds for Anterior Cruciate Ligament

在美国，人类前十字韧带（ACL）每年破裂超过20万次（或3000分之一的发生率），导致超过10亿美元的医疗费用。手术修复的金标准是自体髌骨肌腱移植，但由于恢复时间长、可能发展为关节炎、相关供体部位发病率和退行性关节疾病，这种治疗方法远非最佳。这些限制促使了对组织工程解决方案的需求。本研究建议使用多学科方法来提供对支架（由可生物降解聚合物制成的临时结构，促进细胞和组织的生长）的设计和制造的基本理解，该支架模仿并促进ACL结构中发现的四种组织类型的发展。学生们将参与到研究中来，并且有几门课程将从这个项目产生的知识中受益。在美国，人类前交叉韧带（ACL）每年破裂超过20万次（或发生率为3000分之一），导致超过10亿美元的医疗费用。传统的手术修复包括自体髌骨肌腱移植，然而这种方法的缺点包括恢复时间长，潜在的关节炎，相关的供体部位发病率和退行性关节疾病。这些限制强调了组织工程解决方案的必要性。本研究建议采用多学科方法，提供对分层、空间组织的二维仿生支架的进化的基本理解，旨在促进韧带-骨界面中发现的四种组织类型的发展。本研究的目的是：利用喷墨打印技术制备可用于骨-韧带界面的分层、空间组织结构；表征骨-韧带界面的形态、组成、力学行为和免疫化学；并通过梯度结构理解材料与细胞的相互作用。从本研究中获得的基础知识将显著影响骨-韧带界面工程和其他梯度结构存在的应用。项目资源将与阿拉巴马州立大学现有的REU项目和国家科学基金会/路易斯·斯托克斯少数民族参与联盟项目（LSAMP）相结合，最大限度地提高来自代表性不足群体的本科生的参与度。一些课程将受益于研究产生的知识，参与的学生将有机会在国家和区域会议上介绍他们的研究。

PI: Dean, Derrick R.Proposal Number: 1510479The human anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is ruptured over 200,000 times per year (or an incidence of 1 in 3000) in the United States, resulting in over $1 billion of medical expenses. The gold standard for surgical repair is the patellar tendon autograft, but this treatment is far from optimal due to lengthy recovery time, potential for developing arthritis, associated donor site morbidity, and degenerative joint disease. These limitations have prompted the need for a tissue engineered solution. This study proposes to use a multidisciplinary approach to provide a fundamental understanding of the design and fabrication of a scaffold (a temporary structure made of a biodegradable polymer that facilitates the growth of cells and tissue) that mimics and facilitates the development of the four tissue types found in the ACL structure. Students will be involved in the research, and several courses will benefit from the knowledge generated by this project. The human anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is ruptured over 200,000 times per year (or an incidence of 1 in 3000) in the United States, resulting in over $1 billion of medical expenses. The conventional surgical repair involves autografting the patellar tendon autograft, however shortcomings of this approach include long recovery time, potential for developing arthritis, associated donor site morbidity, and degenerative joint disease. These limitations underscore the need for a tissue engineered solution. This study proposes to use a multidisciplinary approach which provides a fundamental understanding of the evolution of a hierarchical, spatially organized 2-dimensional biomimetic scaffold designed to facilitate the development of the four tissue types found in a ligament-to-bone interface. The objectives of this study are: To utilize inkjet printing to prepare hierarchical, spatially organized structures that can be used for bone-ligament interfaces; to characterize the morphology, composition, mechanical behavior and immunochemistry across the bone-to-ligament interface; and to understand the material-cell interactions across the gradient structure. The fundamental knowledge gained from this study will significantly impact the engineering of bone-ligament interfaces and other applications where gradient structures are present. Program resources will be leveraged with the existing REU program at Alabama State University and the NSF/Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program (LSAMP), to maximize the involvement of undergraduate students from underrepresented groups. Several courses will benefit from knowledge generated from the research, and students involved will have opportunities to present their research at national and regional conferences.