Nicola Detta
University of Pisa
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Publication
Featured researches published by Nicola Detta.
Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine | 2010
Nicola Detta; Cesare Errico; Dinuccio Dinucci; Dario Puppi; David A. Clarke; Gwendolen C. Reilly; Federica Chiellini
Novel polymeric micro-nanostructure meshes as blood vessels substitute have been developed and investigated as a potential solution to the lack of functional synthetic small diameter vascular prosthesis. A commercial elastomeric polyurethane (Tecoflex® EG-80A) and a natural biopolymer (gelatin) were successfully co-electrospun from different spinnerets on a rotating mandrel to obtain composite meshes benefiting from the mechanical characteristics of the polyurethane and the natural biopolymer cytocompatibility. Morphological analysis showed a uniform integration of micrometric (Tecoflex®) and nanometric (gelatin) fibers. Exposure of the composite meshes to vapors of aqueous glutaraldehyde solution was carried out, to stabilize the gelatin fibers in an aqueous environment. Uniaxial tensile testing in wet conditions demonstrated that the analyzed Tecoflex®–Gelatin specimens possessed higher extensibility and lower elastic modulus than conventional synthetic grafts, providing a closer matching to native vessels. Biological evaluation highlighted that, as compared with meshes spun from Tecoflex® alone, the electrospun composite constructs enhanced endothelial cells adhesion and proliferation, both in terms of cell number and morphology. Results suggest that composite Tecoflex®–Gelatin meshes could be promising alternatives to conventional vascular grafts, deserving of further studies on both their mechanical behaviour and smooth muscle cell compatibility.
Materials Science and Engineering: C | 2014
Toby D. Brown; Fredrik Edin; Nicola Detta; Anthony D. Skelton; Dietmar W. Hutmacher; Paul D. Dalton
Melt electrospinning and its additive manufacturing analogue, melt electrospinning writing (MEW), are two processes which can produce porous materials for applications where solvent toxicity and accumulation in solution electrospinning are problematic. This study explores the melt electrospinning of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds, specifically for applications in tissue engineering. The research described here aims to inform researchers interested in melt electrospinning about technical aspects of the process. This includes rapid fiber characterization using glass microscope slides, allowing influential processing parameters on fiber morphology to be assessed, as well as observed fiber collection phenomena on different collector substrates. The distribution and alignment of melt electrospun PCL fibers can be controlled to a certain degree using patterned collectors to create large numbers of scaffolds with shaped macroporous architectures. However, the buildup of residual charge in the collected fibers limits the achievable thickness of the porous template through such scaffolds. One challenge identified for MEW is the ability to control charge buildup so that fibers can be placed accurately in close proximity, and in many centimeter heights. The scale and size of scaffolds produced using MEW, however, indicate that this emerging process will fill a technological niche in biofabrication.
Journal of Bioactive and Compatible Polymers | 2011
Dario Puppi; Anna Maria Piras; Nicola Detta; Hanna Ylikauppila; Lila Nikkola; Nureddin Ashammakhi; Federica Chiellini; Emo Chiellini
Fibrous meshes based on three different poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) polymers, with 12% vinyl acetate monomeric units and molar weights of 37,000, 67,000, and 130,000 were developed as potential scaffolds for regenerative medical applications. The meshes were electrospun and characterized by molecular weight, concentration, applied voltage, and needle—collector distance. The influence of feed rate and the electrodes configuration (needle-to-tip and screen-to-screen system) was determined. Highly porous, 3D structures composed of randomly oriented ultrafine fibers, with an average fiber diameter of a few hundred nanometers were developed. Solutions of PVA and human serum albumin were successfully electrospun and the fibrous mesh was stabilized with glutaraldehyde. The influence of these operations on the mechanical properties was evaluated by uniaxial tensile testing.
Macromolecular Bioscience | 2010
Dario Puppi; Nicola Detta; Anna Maria Piras; Federica Chiellini; David A. Clarke; Gwendolen C. Reilly; Emo Chiellini
We have developed three-dimensional electrospun microfibrous meshes of a novel star branched three-arm poly(ε-caprolactone) (*PCL) as potential scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. The processing conditions required to obtain uniform fibers were optimized by studying their influence on fiber morphology and size. Polymer molecular weight and solution feed rate influenced both the mesh microstructure and the tensile properties of the developed mats. Electrospun samples were also tested for their mechanical properties in wet conditions, showing higher yield strength and strain in comparison to that observed in dry conditions. Cell culture experiments employing MC3T3-E1 osteoblast like cells showed good cell viability adhesion and collagen production on the *PCL scaffolds.
Acta Biomaterialia | 2010
Dario Puppi; Anna Maria Piras; Nicola Detta; Dinuccio Dinucci; Federica Chiellini
Polymer International | 2011
Cesare Errico; Nicola Detta; Dario Puppi; Anna Maria Piras; Federica Chiellini; Emo Chiellini
Nano Biomedicine and Engineering | 2011
Cesare Errico; Federica Chiellini; Nicola Detta; Anna Maria Piras; Dario Puppi; Emo Chiellini
Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering; Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation | 2010
Nicola Detta; Toby D. Brown; Fredrik Edin; Krystyna Albrecht; Federica Chiellini; Emo Chiellini; Paul D. Dalton; Dietmar W. Hutmacher
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy | 2008
Nicola Detta; Dario Puppi; Federica Chiellini; Emo Chiellini
/data/revues/07533322/00620008/08001868/ | 2008
Dario Puppi; Nicola Detta; Anna Maria Piras; Federica Chiellini; Emo Chiellini