Current artificial implants are often not sufficiently adapted to the environment inside patients’ bodies and therefore are therefore of limited use as a tissue replacement. It is not yet fully understood how cells react to a three-dimensional environment.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute of Laser Technology (ILT) in Aachen, Germany, and other Fraunhofer institutes have now developed a process for producing biomimetic scaffolds which closely emulates the endogenous tissue. For this purpose the Aachen researchers use rapid prototyping, combining organic substances (dissolved proteins) with polymers and irradiating them with innovative, low-cost microchip lasers with pulse durations in the picosecond range. This causes photolytic cross-linking of the substances (multiphoton polymerisation), creating three-dimensional structures suitable for constructing artificial tissue. The endogenous proteins used are albumin, collagen or fibronectin. As pure protein structures are not very shape-stable, however, the Aachen-based researchers combine them with biocompatible polymers. The resulting scaffold can then be seeded with endogenous human cells.

The long term objective is to create not only individual cell colonies but also complete artificial, tailor-made organs.

The ILT researchers are currently working on optimising the process.

Source: http://www.idw-online.de/pages/de/news432803

Contact:
Fraunhofer Institute of Laser Technology (ILT) Steinbachstraße 15
52074 Aachen
Germany
Phone: +49-241-8906-0
Fax: +49-241-8906-121

Further information:
http://www.ilt.fraunhofer.de

Dipl.-Phys. Sascha Engelhardt
Biotechnology and Laser Therapy
Phone: +49-241-8906-605
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Dr. Martin Wehner
Biotechnology and Laser Therapy
Phone: +49-241-8906-202
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