Date of Graduation

5-2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Biomedical Engineering

Advisor/Mentor

Wolchok, Jeffrey C.

Committee Member/Reader

Muldoon, Timothy J.

Committee Member/Second Reader

Balachandran, Kartik

Abstract

Extracellular matrix (ECM) has been shown to provide the framework needed for healthy tissue to grow after experiencing an injury. The optimization of growing ECM is a pressing concern in the tissue regeneration field. From prior research, an in vitro approach for harvesting ECM has been created using polyurethane (PU) foams seeded with cells. Our approach aimed at discovering if the pore size of the foams increased the amount of recovered ECM. Scaffolds of targeted pore size were created by separating sugar granules using a sieve, packing the sugar into a cylindrical mold, then pouring PU over the sugar. Three groups were created: a control of all sugar granules, sugar granules sized 250-500um, and sugar granules sized 125-250um. Cells were seeded and grown for three weeks on the foams. After three weeks, the scaffolds were dissolved and the ECM was collected. The final yields of each scaffold type produced statistically insufficient results. The control scaffolds yielded 4.15 mg ECM , the 125-250um pore scaffold yielded 3.55mg, and the 250-500um pore scaffold yielded 3.82mg. Further, the overall structures of the ECM did not appear different for each group. The results of the study show the pore size of the scaffold does not effect the overall production of ECM. Sieving sugar for specific pore size appears to have a minimal effect and is not necessary in creating the scaffolds.

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