[Back]

J. Torgersen, A. Baudrimont, N.U Pucher, K. Stadlmann, C. Heller, R. Liska, J. Stampfl:
"Biocompatible Materials structured in-vivo using high-resolution AMT";
Talk: Euro Biomat, Jena; 04-13-2011 - 04-14-2011; in: "Euro Biomat - European Symposium on Biomaterials and Related Areas", 22 (2011), 18.

In recent years, computer aided additive manufacturing techniques (AMT) such as Stereolithography have attracted much attention for the creation of biocompatible and biodegradable scaffolds for tissue engineering. Using these techniques, one is able to fabricate plastic models according to accurate anatomy.
Two-photon-polymerisation, offering the fabrication of high resolving three-dimensional parts (≥200nm), attracts the reproduction of complex anatomic structures specifically favouring the fabrication of custom made polymeric scaffolds. 2PP structuring does not harm biological tissue since there is a window of transparency for biological material within the used wavelengths. The challenge is to fabricate scaffolds directly in vivo.
This poster reports the fabrication of scaffolds using methacrylate-based photopolymers with embedded living organisms (Caenorhabditis elegans). The structuring was performed with a pulsed laser with a wavelength of 810nm and adjustable power up to 160mW. Using a 20x magnification microscope objective with a numerical aperture of 0.4, a high resolution scaffold with a base area of 300x300µm and a height of 80µm could be fabricated. Taking advantage of high laser intensities (writing speed: 300µm/s) the structuring process took only 12 minutes.
Due to the transparency of biological material within the wavelength utilized, environmental stress is of chemical origin only. To optimize the conditions we tested the toxicity and reactivity of different resins with a focus on water-based, biocompatible and biodegradable hydrogels together with water soluble, near-infrared initiators suitable for 2PP.

http://publik.tuwien.ac.at/files/PubDat_196810.pdf