Exploiting the Bifunctional Properties of Zinc Oxide as a Smart Biomimetic Material

非技术性：该奖项由材料研究部的生物材料项目授予新泽西理工学院，旨在研究一种用于组织工程应用的智能材料。该奖项由材料研究部的BioMaPS基金和化学、生物工程、环境和运输系统部的生物医学工程项目共同资助。氧化锌具有机电特性，是一种生长因子模拟物，将被制成一种机械柔性的聚合物复合支架，以促进干细胞分化和组织生长，用于软骨修复。骨关节炎是一种衰弱的退行性关节疾病，软骨和底层骨组织受损，并可能随着时间的推移而恶化。目前还没有一种技术可以恢复完全功能的软骨组织。将制作氧化锌支架，并对其双功能特性进行充分表征。骨髓间充质干细胞向软骨和骨细胞的分化将在体外支架上进行评估。这项拟议的工作将对可能用于组织再生和修复的智能材料领域产生重大影响。这里的研究工作也将在教学、培训和教育中传播。首席调查员实验室通过各种社区和大学方案，从初中开始积极参与培训、指导和招募代表不足的少数族裔和女学生，这些活动随着这一奖项的颁发而得到加强和加强。技术：该项目将研究一种用于组织工程策略的双功能智能材料。氧化锌是一种压电性和生长因子模拟物，它将首次被用于组织工程应用中的功能特性。氧化锌将以复合材料的形式与聚己内酯(PCL)作为支架，以促进干细胞分化。将解决两个具体目标。该奖项的第一个目标是制造和充分表征氧化锌-聚合物复合支架的压电性能。纳米氧化锌将与一种缓慢降解的生物材料PCL结合，形成复合纤维支架，并将测定氧化锌的控制释放/溶解。复合材料还将在更接近生物环境的条件下进行电输出表征。然后，将对压电支架的局部纳米级机电行为以及大块性质进行表征，以便将生物响应与机电活动相关联。该奖项的第二个目的是研究骨髓间充质干细胞在氧化锌-聚己内酯复合支架上的成骨和成软骨分化。本研究基于这样的假设，即使用与天然细胞外基质具有相似物理化学性质的纤维支架将刺激间充质干细胞的分化。因此，除了开发一种修复软骨缺损的新的联合疗法外，本研究还将加深对压电或机电效应对细胞分化的作用的科学理解，以及在软骨修复和再生方面的潜在应用。在教学、培训和外联活动方面，研究人员将在该奖项支持的研究活动中招募和指导代表性不足的少数群体和妇女。

Nontechnical: This award by the Biomaterials program in the Division of Materials Research to the New Jersey Institute of Technology is to investigate a smart material for tissue engineering applications. This award is co-funded by BioMaPS funds in the Division of Materials Research, and the Biomedical Engineering program in the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems. Zinc oxide, which has electromechanical properties and is a growth factor mimetic, will be fabricated into a mechanically flexible, polymer composite scaffold to promote stem cell differentiation and tissue growth for cartilage repair. Osteoarthritis is a debilitating, degenerative joint disease where cartilage and the underlying bone tissue becomes damaged and can worsen with time. No technology exists that can restore fully functional cartilage tissue. Zinc oxide scaffolds will be fabricated and fully characterized for their bifunctional properties. Mesenchymal stem cell differentiation into cartilage and bone cells will be evaluated on the scaffolds in vitro. The proposed work would have a significant impact on the fields of smart materials for possible tissue regeneration and repair. The research efforts here also will be disseminated in teaching, training, and education. The principal investigator's laboratory is actively involved in the training, mentoring and recruitment of underrepresented minority and female students starting at the junior high school level through various community and university programs, and these activities are enhanced and strengthened with this award. Technical: This project will investigate a bifunctional smart material for tissue engineering strategies. Zinc oxide (ZnO), which is piezoelectric and a growth factor mimetic, will be utilized, for the first time, for its functional properties in tissue engineering applications. ZnO will be used in composite form with polycaprolactone (PCL) as a scaffold to promote stem cell differentiation. Two specific aims will be addressed. Aim 1 of this award is to fabricate and fully characterize the piezoelectric properties of ZnO-polymer composite scaffolds. Nanoparticles of ZnO will be combined with PCL, a slow-degrading biomaterial, to form composite fibrous scaffolds, and controlled release/dissolution of zinc oxide will be determined. Composites will also be characterized for electrical output in conditions that more closely mimic a biological setting. The piezoelectric scaffolds will then be characterized for localized nanoscale electromechanical behavior as well as bulk properties in order to correlate biological response with electromechanical activity. The second aim of this award is to investigate the osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells on the ZnO-PCL composite scaffold in vitro. This study is based on the hypothesis that the use of a fibrous scaffold having similar physicochemical properties as the native extracellular matrix will stimulate the differentiation of msenchymal stem cells. Therefore, in addition to developing a novel combination therapy for the repair of cartilage defects, this study will enhance the scientific understanding of the role of piezoelectric or electromechanical effects on cell differentiation, and potential applications in cartilage repair and regeneration. With respect to teaching, training and outreach activities, the researchers will recruit and mentor underrepresented minorities and women in the research activities supported by this award.