Development of Intestinal Scaffolds that Mimic Native Mammalian Intestinal Tissue.

Abstract

This study is significant because it demonstrates an attempt to design a scaffold specifically for small intestine using a novel fabrication method, resulting in an architecture that resembles intestinal villi. In addition, we use the versatile polymer poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) for artificial intestine, which has tunable mechanical and degradation properties that can be harnessed for further fine-tuning of scaffold design. Moreover, the utilization of PGS allows for future development of growth factor and drug delivery from the scaffolds to promote artificial intestine formation.