3D Meltblowing Elastollan Thermoplastic Polyurethane Scaffolds for Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering

The intricate interactions between the 3DMB fiber formation and collection parameters and their influence on the morphological, mechanical, and biofunctional attributes of scaffolds have previously been analyzed for polyesters including polycaprolactone (PCL) and polylactic acid (PLA). While these materials are widely used in tissue engineering research, they have relatively high stiffness and tend to undergo permanent deformation under repetitive loading, which limits their suitability for musculoskeletal soft tissue applications. These tissues experience constant dynamic loading that necessitate them to be elastic and flexible to effectively dissipate these forces. Herein, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) elastomers can serve as excellent alternatives to the typical polyesters. TPUs can offer a combination of favorable attributes including low cytotoxicity, high wear and abrasion resistance, high elongation at failure, and moderate tensile and compressive moduli. Being thermoplastics, TPUs exhibit excellent processability, rendering them promising candidates for various biofabrication techniques based on melting. Elastollan®, a commercially widely used TPU, demonstrates exceptional mechanical properties, flexibility and wear resistance. Despite possessing suitable properties for biomedical applications, its exploration in tissue engineering has been very limited.
This is the first study to investigate the 3DMB of Elastollan® scaffolds for musculoskeletal soft tissue applications. The primary goal was to comprehensively characterize the effects of three key 3DMB parameters – DCD, FDO and SVC – on the fiber-pore microarchitecture of Elastollan
scaffolds and their ensuing mechanical and biofunctional properties.