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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2017 Feb 1.
Published in final edited form as: Prog Polym Sci. 2015 Mar 28;53:86–168. doi: 10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2015.02.004

Fig. 19.

Fig. 19

Design of extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking scaffolds. (A) Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrograph of a three-dimensional (3D) nanofibrous gelatin (NF-gelatin) scaffold that mimics the physical architecture and chemical composition of type I collagen in the ECM. (B) Higher-magnification image of (A), showing the nanofibrous pore walls of the gelatin scaffold. (C) Incorporation of bone-like apatite into the surface of the 3D NF-gelatin to further mimic the inorganic components of bone ECM and improve the mechanical strength of the scaffolding. (D) Incorporation of non-collagen proteins (NCPs) into the surface of the 3D NF-gelatin to form an artificial matrix (NF-gelatin-NCPs) mimicking both the nano-structured architecture and the chemical composition of natural bone ECM. The NCPs were labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). (E) Design and synthesis of nanofibrous hollow microspheres integrating the ECM-mimicking architecture that have a highly porous, injectable form, efficiently accommodating cells and enhancing tissue regeneration. (F) Higher-magnification image of (A), showing the nanofibers of the injectable hollow microspheres.

Source: (A–C) [67], Copyright 2009, (D) [292], Copyright 2013, (E and F) [112], Copyright 2011. Reproduced, respectively, with permission from Elsevier Ltd, Mary Ann Liebert Inc and Nature Publishing Group.