Method for creating an internal transport system within tissue scaffolds using computer-aided tissue engineering

Abstract

An artificial tissue including an internal mass transport network having a plurality of channels, wherein the channels are designed to substantially mimic naturally occurring vascular network and a method for creating an internal transport system within a tissue scaffold to improve circulation, diffusion, and mass transport properties by utilizing computer-aided tissue engineering (CATE). The artificial tissue has the internal mass transport network of channels embedded, deposited, or molded within a scaffold, wherein the channels are made from a biodegradable transporting material and the scaffold is made from a scaffold material. The artificial tissue of the invention includes a basic circulatory system embedded within the tissue scaffold. This system provides mass transport throughout the entire scaffold and degrades after the new circulatory system develops.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An artificial tissue comprising an internal mass transport network having a plurality of channels, wherein the channels are designed to substantially mimic naturally occurring vascular network. 
     
     
         2 . An artificial tissue with an internal mass transport network of channels within a scaffold, the artificial tissue comprising a plurality of filament wherein a first filament comprises a biodegradable transporting material and a second filament comprises a scaffold material, and wherein the first filament and the second filament are deposited in a pattern to form a plurality of layers of the artificial tissue, such that the biodegradable transporting material forms the internal mass transport network of channels within the scaffold of the artificial tissue such that channels are filled with the biodegradable transporting material. 
     
     
         3 . The artificial tissue of  claim 2 , wherein the biodegradable transporting material comprises a hydrogel and the scaffold material comprises a polymer and/or a bioactive glass. 
     
     
         4 . The artificial tissue of  claim 3 , wherein the hydrogel is a member selected from the group consisting of alginate, collagen, chitosan, fibrin, hyaluronic acid, agar, polyethylene glycol and its copolymers, acrylamide-based polymers, acrylic acid-based polymers, and the scaffold material is a member selected from the group consisting of polycaproactone, polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, polyhydroxybutyrate, polypropylene and their co-polymers, fumarate tricalcium phosphate, and hydroxyapatite. 
     
     
         5 . the artificial tissue of  claim 2 , further comprising a third filament, wherein the third filament is deposited adjacently to the first filament to form at least one coated channel or at least one partially coated channel such that a property of the at least one coated channel or the at least one partially coated channel is different from a property of a channel, wherein the property is selective permeability, diffusivity, cell transport, cell adhesion, hydrophobicity, and a hydrophilicity. 
     
     
         6 . The artificial tissue of  claim 2 , further comprising a third filament, wherein the third filament is deposited adjacently to the first filament to form at least one barrier to affect cells migration. 
     
     
         7 . The artificial tissue of  claim 2 , wherein dimensions of the filaments vary with the artificial tissue to create regions having different properties of flow and mass transport. 
     
     
         8 . The artificial tissue of  claim 2 , wherein the first filament comprises more than one scaffold material and/or a plurality of first filaments. 
     
     
         9 . The artificial tissue of  claim 2 , further comprising cells. 
     
     
         10 . The artificial tissue of  claim 2 , wherein the artificial tissue further comprises an artificial transpiration circulatory system connected to an outer layer of the artificial tissue, wherein the artificial transpiration circulatory system is adapted to aid circulation within the artificial tissue. 
     
     
         11 . A method of making the artificial tissue of  claim 2 , the method comprising:
 providing the first filament and the second filament, wherein the first filament comprises the biodegradable transporting material and the second filament comprises the scaffold material;   depositing the first filament from a first deposition nozzle onto a surface;   depositing the second filament from a second deposition nozzle onto the surface next to the first filament and thereby forming a first layer of the artificial tissue;   depositing the first filament onto the first layer;   depositing the second filament onto the first layer next to the first filament and thereby forming a second layer of the artificial tissue, provided that the first filament of the first layer is at an angle to the first filament of the second layer; and   repeating depositing the first filament and the second filament to build multiple layers comprising channels made from the biodegradable transporting material embedded within the scaffold material and thereby making the artificial tissue.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the biodegradable transporting material a hydrogel and the scaffold material comprises a polymer and/or a bioactive glass. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the hydrogel is a member selected from the group consisting of alginate, collagen, chitosan, fibrin, hyaluronic acid, agar, polyethylene glycol and its copolymers, acrylamide-based polymers, acrylic acid-based polymers, and the scaffold material is a member selected from the group consisting of polycaptroactone, polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, polyhydroxybutyrate, polypropylene and their co-polymers, fumarate tricalcium phosphate, and hydroxyapatite.