摘要
Cryogels, one type of macroporous hydrogel scaffold, possess highly interconnected macroporous structures and have been proven suited as a cell culture platform that facilitates cell proliferation, migration, and cellular trafficking. Despite their advantages, cryogels currently available for tissue repair in the musculoskeletal system are unable to meet the mechanical as well as the biological requirements for successful outcomes. To address this issue, a method to reinforce soft cryogels with highly organized, highly porous gyroid structures was developed. These structures are 3D-printed by using the digital light processing technique. The stiffness of the cryogel/framework composites is increased synergistically compared to that of conventional cryogels or gyroid scaffolds alone. Importantly, the hybrid scaffolds retain the unique features of cryogels including highly interconnected porosity and excellent shape recovery. Human mesenchymal stem cells cultured in the composites remain viable and proliferate well. Furthermore, they are able to expand and migrate more easily through the scaffold compared with those in cryogels alone. Overall, our approach of reinforcing cryogels with a 3D-printed gyroid framework shows a potential for producing the constructs that exhibit both biological and mechanical compatibility.