Modern tissue engineering requires not only degradable materials promoting cell growth and differentiation, but also vascularization of the engineered tissue. Porous polylactide/polycaprolactone (PLA/PCL, ratio 3/5) foam scaffolds were prepared by a combined porogen leaching and freeze-drying technique using NaCl (crystal size 250-500 µm) and a water-soluble cellulose derivative (KlucelTM E; 10-100% w/w relative to the total PLA/PCL concentration) as porogens. Scanning electron microscopy, micro-CT, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis showed that all scaffolds contained a trimodal range of pore sizes, i.e., macropores (average diameter 298-539 μm), micropores (100 nm to 10 μm), and nanopores (mostly around 3.0 nm). All scaffolds had an open porosity of about 90%, and the pores were interconnected. The size of the macropores and the nanoporosity were higher in the scaffolds prepared with Klucel. Nanoporosity increased water uptake by the scaffolds, while macroporosity promoted cell ingrowth, which was most evident in scaffolds prepared with 25% Klucel. Human adipose-derived stem cells co-cultured with endothelial cells formed pre-vascular structures in the scaffolds, which was further enhanced in a dynamic cell culture system. The scaffolds are promising for the engineering of pre-vascularized soft tissues (relatively pliable 10% Klucel scaffolds) and hard tissues (mechanically stronger 25% and 50% Klucel scaffolds).

Centre for Nanomaterials and Biotechnology Faculty of Science J E Purkyně University in Ustí nad Labem Pasteurova 15 400 96 Usti nad Labem Czech Republic

Czech Agrifood Research Center Drnovská 507 73 161 01 Prague Czech Republic

Department of Mechanics Biomechanics and Mechatronics Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Czech Technical University Prague Technicka 4 160 00 Prague Czech Republic

Department of Plastic Surgery 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University and Na Bulovce Hospital Budinova 67 2 180 81 Prague Czech Republic

Department of Solid State Engineering University of Chemistry and Technology Prague Technicka 5 166 28 Prague Czech Republic

Institute of Anatomy 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University U Nemocnice 3 128 00 Prague Czech Republic

Institute of Dental Medicine 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University and General University Hospital Prague Kateřinská 32 128 01 Prague Czech Republic

Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Videnska 1083 142 00 Prague Czech Republic

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