Giving It a Twist: One‐Step Fabrication of Aligned Biomimetic Yarn Scaffolds via Rotational Melt Electrofibrillation

TL;DR

A new method creates twisted, collagen-like structures in one step, helping cells grow in a way that mimics natural tissues.

Contribution

A one-step fabrication method that replicates the hierarchical and twisted structure of collagen using rotational Melt Electrofibrillation.

Findings

The method generates twisted fibrillar bundles with enhanced mechanical properties.

Cells align and elongate along the fibril angles, showing lineage-specific gene expression.

Three hierarchical levels—fibrillation, twisting, and scaffold formation—are achieved in a single step.

Abstract

Topographical mimicry of the extracellular matrix, particularly the hierarchical fibrillar structure of collagen, has emerged as an essential factor in guiding cellular phenotype and function. In many tissues, collagen fibrils are not only organized in hierarchical bundles but are also twisted, imparting crucial tensile strength to these structures. Here, we present a fabrication method that enables the generation of such twisted structures by introducing controlled rotation of polymer melt–loaded syringes during Melt Electrofibrillation. By adjusting the rotational speed, higher twist angles in braid‐like structures can be generated, replicating the full range of twist angles observed in vivo. Moreover, this advancement not only facilitates the formation of twisted fibrillar bundles with enhanced mechanical properties that resist delamination but also allows their direct printing into stable scaffolds. Experimental evaluation with three mesenchymal cell types on the scaffolds demonstrated cellular alignment and elongation along the fibril angles, as well as expression of lineage‐specific transcription factors and matrix genes. This creation of three levels of hierarchy in a single step—fibrillation, twisting, and scaffold generation—thus paves the way to replicate the ultrastructure and mechanical properties of twisted collagen structures in a biomimetic manner, providing a structurally faithful scaffold platform for various tissue types.

Due to its multifunctionality, replicating the fibrillar and supramolecular architecture of Collagen I is gaining increasing priority in regenerative medicine. Using rotational Melt Electrofibrillation, we present a powerful method to accurately mimic the ultrastructure of Collagen with polycaprolactone, enabling the one‐step fabrication of three hierarchical levels—fibrillation, twisting, and scaffold formation.

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