Microfabricated 3D Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering Applications

Microfabrication and soft lithographic techniques are combined to develop three-dimensional 3D polydimethylsiloxane PDMS scaffolds comprising multiple levels of meandering pore geometry textured with 10 mum posts. Both micro-architecture and surface micro-textures have been shown to selectively stimulate cell and tissue behavior. To achieve a 3D scaffold with precise micro-architecture and surface micro-textures, 100 mum thick PDMS films were manufactured using a stacking technique to realize a 66 porous 3D structure with 200 x 400 mum horizontal through holes, 200 mum diameter vertical through holes and 71 surface coverage with 10 mum diameter and 10 mum high posts. Each PDMS porous film level was manufactured by the dual-sided molding of uncured PDMS between a three level 8U-8 photoresist mold of 200, 10, and 100 mum thick features and a PDMS mold with 10 mum deep micro-textures. Dual-sided molding was achieved using a custom motion control mechanical jig that allowed relative mold alignment to with - 10 mum.