THE COMBINATION OF 3D PRINTING AND NANOFIBERS FOR TISSUE ENGINEERING OF ARTICULAR CARTILAGE

This study presents a combination of 3D print and nanofibers. The aim of the work is to create a scaffold for tissue engineering of articular cartilage. The combination mentioned provides a suitable synergic effect using specific characteristics supplied by the employed technologies. The load-bearing part was made by 3D print. This part provides necessary mechanical qualities and imparts the shape to the scaffold. The integrated and modified nanofiber layers with a specific pattern then provide a space for the adhesion and proliferation of the applied cells. The study is divided into several basic parts. In the introduction, the most frequently employed methods for the fabrication of the scaffolds are described. The next chapter is dedicated to the materials and production technologies used in the course of experiment. In the technological part, there is a description of the creation of 3D structure and its subsequent testing. The results obtained are summed up in the conclusion. On the basis of these results, the combination of the applied technology is compared with other methods.