Methods and compositions for promoting the structural integrity of scaffolds for tissue engineering

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to synthetic tissue or organ scaffolds and methods and compositions for promoting or maintaining their structural integrity. Aspects of the disclosure are useful to prevent scaffold damage (e.g., delamination) during or after implantation into a host. Aspects of the disclosure are useful to stabilize tissue or organ scaffolds that include electrospun fibers.

1 . A method of enhancing the mechanical properties of a synthetic or natural tubular organ scaffold, the method comprising:
 integrating a continuous support structure within a tubular structure.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure is a coiled structure. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure is captured within an electrospun nanofiber structure. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure or fiber is electrically conductive. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure is non-electrically conductive. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the support structure is a metallic or polymeric structure. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . An electrospun organ support structure comprising an electrically conductive support structure, and at least one electrospun layer. 
     
     
         11 . The organ support structure of  claim 10 , wherein the electrically conductive support structure is coiled. 
     
     
         12 . The organ support structure of  claim 10 , wherein the conductive support structure is selectively electrically charged. 
     
     
         13 . The organ support structure of  claim 12 , wherein the charge is positive, negative, alternating, biphasic, pulsed, or ramped. 
     
     
         14 . The organ support structure of  claim 12 , wherein the charge is selectively controlled/maintained in order to alter the bonding properties of electrospun nanofiber layers which come into contact with the conductive support structure. 
     
     
         15 . The organ support structure of  claim 10 , wherein the conductive support structure serves as the electrospinning mandrel for the purpose of creating an electrospun nanofiber tubular synthetic organ structure. 
     
     
         16 . The organ support structure of any of  claim 12 , wherein the electrical characteristics of the conductive support structure are tuned to control the deposition of electrospun nanofibers anywhere along the entire dimension of the tubular synthetic organ structure. 
     
     
         17 . The organ support structure of  claim 12 , wherein the electrical characteristics of the conductive support structure are tuned to provide deposition of electrospun nanofibers which is uniform, differential, alternating, mixed, aligned, or non-aligned. 
     
     
         18 . The organ support structure of  claim 17 , wherein the deposition creates an electrospun nanofiber tubular synthetic organ structure with specific mechanical or biological properties including: predetermined tensile strength, rotation, compression, range of motion, bending, resistance, compliance, degrees of freedom, gas permeability, pore size, cellular engraftment, differentiation, proliferation, infiltration, angiogenesis, vascularization properties. 
     
     
         19 . An electrospun nanofiber tubular synthetic organ structure comprising an integrated micro and/or nano-feature that combines with a complementary counterpart micro and/or nano features of one or more electrospun nanofiber layers. 
     
     
         20 . The organ structure of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more layers include a layer of electrospun nanofibers below a support structure, above it or both; and the one or more layers possess complementary counterpart micro and/or nano features to those on the support structure. 
     
     
         21 . The organ structure of  claim 20 , wherein the complementary counterpart micro and/or nano features are of a hook and loop configuration, a tab and slot configuration, a ball and socket configuration, or a tongue and groove configuration. 
     
     
         22 . The organ structure of  claim 20 , wherein the support structure comprises integrated one or more micro and/or nano-features that anchor/attach/bind to the electrospun nanofiber layers that it contacts. 
     
     
         23 . The organ structure of  claim 20 , wherein the layers act as permissive substrates for the anchoring/attachment/binding of the coiled backbone that they contact. 
     
     
         24 . The organic structure of  claim 10  further comprising at least one electrospun nanofiber tubular synthetic organ region composed of a single continuous electrospun nanofiber in contact with one or more support structures. 
     
     
         25 . A method of producing an electrospun nanofiber tubular synthetic organ structure having a single continuous electrospun nanofiber and one or more support structures, the method comprising integrating the one or more support structures during synthesis without stopping the electrospinning process, whereon a software controlled robot places the one or more support structures onto a partially completed electrospun nanofiber tubular synthetic organ structure during the electrospinning process. 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , the placement is facilitated by use of an encoder on the collector. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A method of enhancing structural stability of a synthetic scaffold having a layer of electrospun synthetic fiber material applied to a synthetic structure, wherein the method comprises providing a synthetic structure having a low profile and applying a synthetic material to the synthetic structure, wherein the low profile of the synthetic structure has a height:width ratio that is lower than 1. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . (canceled)