Engrafting Periodontal Fibroblasts with New 3-Dimensional Polylactide Foams

Abstract

In clinical periodontics, “tissue engineering” techniques have been developed to guide the regenerative process following periodontal disease. We explored a new shaped biomaterial in order to promote cellular adhesion, proliferation and migration of periodontal cells. Granules of poly-D,L-lactide were foamed in specially designed moulds by a controlled gas-loading process. Explant cultures of periodontal tissue were seeded at different densities on the 3-dimensional scaffolds following analysis of cytotoxicity, cell proliferation and differentiation. The moulding procedure led to porous structures with predetermined tubes for cellular locomotion. Cells adhered to and populated the material's surface and inner cavities while retaining fibroblastic phenotype. An optimal ratio between cellular proliferation and mortality rate was achieved at a seeding density of > 10⁶ cells/cm³ scaffold. We designed modified polylactide scaffolds capable of acting as a stent and a cell carrier matrix. The foaming process is easy, cheap and suitable for commercial production.