Subcritical CO2 sintering of microspheres of different polymeric materials to fabricate scaffolds for tissue engineering

The aim of this study was to use CO₂ at sub-critical pressures as a tool to sinter 3D, macroporous, microsphere-based scaffolds for bone and cartilage tissue engineering. Porous scaffolds composed of ~ 200 μm microspheres of either poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) or polycaprolactone (PCL) were prepared using dense phase CO₂ sintering, which were seeded with rat bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (rBMSCs), and exposed to either osteogenic (PLGA, PCL) or chondrogenic (PLGA) conditions for 6 weeks. Under osteogenic conditions, the PLGA constructs produced over an order of magnitude more calcium than the PCL constructs, whereas the PCL constructs had far superior mechanical and structural integrity (125 times stiffer than PLGA constructs) at week 6, along with twice the cell content of the PLGA constructs. Chondrogenic cell performance was limited in PLGA constructs, perhaps as a result of the polymer degradation rate being too high. The current study represents the first long-term culture of CO₂-sintered microsphere-based scaffolds, and has established important thermodynamic differences in sintering between the selected formulations of PLGA and PCL, with the former requiring adjustment of pressure only, and the latter requiring the adjustment of both pressure and temperature. Based on more straightforward sintering conditions and more favorable cell performance, PLGA may be the material of choice for microspheres in a CO₂ sintering application, although a different PLGA formulation with the encapsulation of growth factors, extracellular matrix-derived nanoparticles, and/or buffers in the microspheres may be advantageous for achieving a more superior cell performance than observed here.     

Bio-functionalized PCL nanofibrous scaffolds for nerve tissue engineering

Surface properties of scaffolds such as hydrophilicity and the presence of functional groups on the surface of scaffolds play a key role in cell adhesion, proliferation and migration. Different modification methods for hydrophilicity improvement and introduction of functional groups on the surface of scaffolds have been carried out on synthetic biodegradable polymers, for tissue engineering applications. In this study, alkaline hydrolysis of poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibrous scaffolds was carried out for different time periods (1 h, 4 h and 12 h) to increase the hydrophilicity of the scaffolds. The formation of reactive groups resulting from alkaline hydrolysis provides opportunities for further surface functionalization of PCL nanofibrous scaffolds. Matrigel was attached covalently on the surface of an optimized 4 h hydrolyzed PCL nanofibrous scaffolds and additionally the fabrication of blended PCL/matrigel nanofibrous scaffolds was carried out. Chemical and mechanical characterization of nanofibrous scaffolds were evaluated using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, contact angle, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and tensile measurement. In vitro cell adhesion and proliferation study was carried out after seeding nerve precursor cells (NPCs) on different scaffolds. Results of cell proliferation assay and SEM studies showed that the covalently functionalized PCL/matrigel nanofibrous scaffolds promote the proliferation and neurite outgrowth of NPCs compared to PCL and hydrolyzed PCL nanofibrous scaffolds, providing suitable substrates for nerve tissue engineering.     

Preparation and properties of biomimetic porous nanofibrous poly(l-lactide) scaffold with chitosan nanofiber network by a dual thermally induced phase separation technique

A biomimetic nanofibrous poly(l-lactide) scaffold decorated by chitosan nanofiber network inside the macropores was fabricated using a dual thermally induced phase separation technique. The first phase separation was used to build a nanofibrous poly(l-lactide) scaffold with interconnected macropores, where chitosan nanofibers about 500 nm in diameter were incorporated via the second phase separation. The content of nanofibrous chitosan was determined to be 5.76 in weight percentage by elemental analysis. The composite scaffold showed the highest protein adsorption of 7225 ± 116 μg/cm³ and the most hydroxyapatite crystal deposition in the mineralization. Compared with non-nanofibrous poly(l-lactide) scaffold, nanofibrous poly(l-lactide) scaffold exhibited a much faster degradation, but it could be restrained by the introduced chitosan nanofibers. The bone mesenchymal stem cell culture results indicated that the cells would rather attach and stretch along the chitosan nanofibers in the composite scaffold that showed the highest viability and the best cytocompatibility may be attributed to the biomimetic nanofibrous network and good cell affinity of chitosan nanofibers.     

Fabrication and evaluation of a sustained-release chitosan-based scaffold embedded with PLGA microspheres

Nutrient depletion within three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds is one of the major hurdles in the use of this technology to grow cells for applications in tissue engineering. In order to help in addressing it, we herein propose to use the controlled release of encapsulated nutrients within polymer microspheres into chitosan-based 3D scaffolds, wherein the microspheres are embedded. This method has allowed maintaining a stable concentration of nutrients within the scaffolds over the long term. The polymer microspheres were prepared using multiple emulsions (w/o/w), in which bovine serum albumin (BSA) and poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) were regarded as the protein pattern and the exoperidium material, respectively. These were then mixed with a chitosan solution in order to form the scaffolds by cryo-desiccation. The release of BSA, entrapped within the embedded microspheres, was monitored with time using a BCA kit. The morphology and structure of the PLGA microspheres containing BSA before and after embedding within the scaffold were observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). These had a round shape with diameters in the range of 27–55 μm, whereas the chitosan-based scaffolds had a uniform porous structure with the microspheres uniformly dispersed within their 3D structure and without any morphological change. In addition, the porosity, water absorption and degradation rate at 37 °C in an aqueous environment of 1% chitosan-based scaffolds were (92.99 ± 2.51) %, (89.66 ± 0.66) % and (73.77 ± 3.21) %, respectively. The studies of BSA release from the embedded microspheres have shown a sustained and cumulative tendency with little initial burst, with (20.24 ± 0.83) % of the initial amount released after 168 h (an average rate of 0.12%/h). The protein concentration within the chitosan-based scaffolds after 168 h was found to be (11.44 ± 1.81) × 10^? 2 mg/mL. This novel chitosan-based scaffold embedded with PLGA microspheres has proven to be a promising technique for the development of new and improved tissue engineering scaffolds.     

Preparation of high strength macroporous hydroxyapatite scaffold

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) powder was prepared from CaNO₃·4H₂O and (NH₄)₂HPO₄ by wet-chemical method and has phase stable up to 1250 °C. High strength macroporous HAp–naphthalene (HN) and HAp–naphthalene–benzene (HNB) scaffolds were fabricated by adapting sintering method. The resulting HAp scaffolds have porosity about 60 vol.% with compressive strength of ~ 11 MPa and average pore diameter in the range of ~ 125 μm. The incorporation of benzene in HN scaffold reduces the strength whereas enhanced both the porosity and pore size distribution. XRD, FTIR, SEM and mercury porosimeter techniques were used to study the phase purity, morphology, pore size and pore size distribution of scaffold. The study compared the effect of concentration of naphthalene on strength, porosity and pore size distribution on both HN and HNB scaffold. In-vitro bioactivity studies on HN and HNB scaffolds show the nucleation of spherical carbonated apatite particles on the surface in SBF solution.     

Enhanced sintering ability of biphasic calcium phosphate by polymers used for bone scaffold fabrication

Biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP), which is composed of hydroxyapatite [HAP, Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)₂] and β-tricalcium phosphate [β-TCP, β-Ca₃(PO₄)₂], is usually difficult to densify into a solid state with selective laser sintering (SLS) due to the short sintering time. In this study, the sintering ability of BCP ceramics was significantly improved by adding a small amount of polymers, by which a liquid phase was introduced during the sintering process. The effects of the polymer content, laser power and HAP/β-TCP ratios on the microstructure, chemical composition and mechanical properties of the BCP scaffolds were investigated. The results showed that the BCP scaffolds became increasingly more compact with the increase of the poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) content (0–1 wt.%) and laser power (6–10 W). The fracture toughness and micro-hardness of the sintered scaffolds were also improved. Moreover, PLLA could be gradually decomposed in the late sintering stages and eliminated from the final BCP scaffolds if the PLLA content was below a certain value (approximately 1 wt.% in this case). The added PLLA could not be completely eliminated when its content was further increased to 1.5 wt.% or higher because an unexpected carbon phase was detected in the sintered scaffolds. Furthermore, many pores were observed due to the removal of PLLA. Micro-cracks and micro-pores occurred when the laser power was too high (12 W). These defects resulted in a deterioration of the mechanical properties. The hardness and fracture toughness reached maximum values of 490.3 ± 10 HV and 1.72 ± 0.10 MPa m^1/2, respectively, with a PLLA content of approximately 1 wt.% and laser power of approximately 10 W. Poly(l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) showed similar effects on the sintering process of BCP ceramics. Rectangular, porous BCP scaffolds were fabricated based on the optimum values of the polymer content and laser power. This work may provide an experimental basis for improving the mechanical properties of BCP bone scaffolds fabricated with SLS.     

Preparation of monolithic aluminium titanate with well-defined macropores via a sol–gel process accompanied by phase separation

Monolithic aluminium titanate with well-defined macropores has been prepared through a sol–gel process accompanied by phase separation, using poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) to induce the phase separation and formamide (FA) to control the gelation of Al₂O₃–TiO₂ system. Appropriate amounts of PEO and formamide allow the formation of aluminium titanate xerogel with cocontinuous macroporous structure and a monolithic shape. The pore size of the resultant dried gels is in the range of 2–3 μm and the porosity is above 60%. The as-dried gel is amorphous and completely transforms into a single phase Al₂TiO₅ after heat-treated at 1300 °C. The macroporous structure is well maintained while the skeleton becomes smooth after heat-treatment.     

Novel,simple and reproducible method for preparation of composite hierarchal porous structure scaffolds

Demand to develop a simple and adaptable method for preparation the hierarchical porous scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration is ever increasing. This study presents a novel and reproducible method for preparing the scaffolds with pores structure spanning from nano, micro to macro scale. A macroporous Sr-Hardystonite (Sr–Ca₂ZnSi₂O₇, Sr–HT) scaffold with the average pore size of ~ 1200 μm and porosity of ~ 95% was prepared using polymer sponge method. The struts of the scaffold were coated with a viscous paste consisted of salt (NaCl) particles and polycaprolactone (PCL) to provide a layer with thickness of ~ 300–800 μm. A hierarchical porous scaffold was obtained with macro, micro and nanopores in the range of 400–900 μm, 1–120 μm and 40–290 nm, after salt leaching process. These scales could be easily adjusted based on the starting foam physical characteristics, salt particle size, viscosity of the paste and salt/PCL weight ratio.     

Xylan polysaccharides fabricated into nanofibrous substrate for myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction, a main cause of heart failure, leads to loss of cardiac tissue impairment of left ventricular function. Repair of diseased myocardium with in vitro engineered cardiac muscle patch/injectable biopolymers with cells may become a viable option for myocardial infarction. We attempted to solve these problems by in vitro study by selecting a plant based polysaccharides beech wood Xylan for the normal functioning of infarcted myocardium. The present study fabricated Xylan based nanofibrous scaffolds cross-linked with glutaraldehyde (Glu) vapors for 24 h, 48 h and 1% Glu blended fibers for the culture of neonatal rat cardiac cells for myocardial infarction. These nanofibers were characterized by SEM, FT-IR, tensile testing and cell culture studies for the normal expression of cardiac proteins. The observed results showed that the Xylan/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) 24 h Glu vapor cross-linked nanofibers (427 nm) having mechanical strength of 2.43 MPa and Young modulus of 3.74 MPa are suitable for the culture of cardiac cells. Cardiac cells proliferation increased only by 11% in Xylan/PVA 24 h Glu cross-linked nanofibers compared to control tissue culture plate (TCP). The normal cardiac cell morphology was observed in 24 h cross-linked Xylan/PVA nanofibers but 48 h cross-linked fibers cell morphology was changed to flattened and elongated on the fibrous surfaces. Confocal analysis for cardiac expression proteins actinin, connexin 43 was observed normally in 24 h Glu cross-linked nanofibers compared to all other nanofibrous scaffolds. The fabricated Xylan/PVA nanofibrous scaffold may have good potential for the normal functioning of infarcted myocardium.     

Co-electrospun blends of PU and PEG as potential biocompatible scaffolds for small-diameter vascular tissue engineering

A small-diameter vascular graft (inner diameter 4 mm) was fabricated from polyurethane (PU) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) solutions by blend electrospinning technology. The fiber diameter decreased from 1023 ± 185 nm to 394 ± 106 nm with the increasing content of PEG in electrospinning solutions. The hybrid PU/PEG scaffolds showed randomly nanofibrous morphology, high porosity and well-interconnected porous structure. The hydrophilicity of these scaffolds had been improved significantly with the increasing contents of PEG. The mechanical properties of electrospun hybrid PU/PEG scaffolds were obviously different from that of PU scaffold, which was caused by plasticizing or hardening effect imparted by PEG composition. Under hydrated state, the hybrid PU/PEG scaffolds demonstrated low mechanical performance due to the hydrophilic property of materials. Compared with dry PU/PEG scaffolds with the same content of PEG, the tensile strength and elastic modulus of hydrated PU/PEG scaffolds decreased significantly, while the elongation at break increased. The hybrid PU/PEG scaffolds demonstrated a lower possibility of thrombi formation than blank PU scaffold in platelet adhesion test. The hemolysis assay illustrated that all scaffolds could act as blood contacting materials. To investigate further in vitro cytocompatibility, HUVECs were seeded on the scaffolds and cultured over 14 days. The cells could attach and proliferate well on the hybrid scaffolds than blank PU scaffold, and form a cell monolayer fully covering on the PU/PEG (80/20) hybrid scaffold surface. The results demonstrated that the electrospun hybrid PU/PEG tubular scaffolds possessed the special capacity with excellent hemocompatibility while simultaneously supporting extensive endothelialization with the 20 and 30% content of PEG in hybrid scaffolds.     

Human-like collagen/nano-hydroxyapatite scaffolds for the culture of chondrocytes

Three dimensional (3D) biodegradable porous scaffolds play a key role in cartilage tissue repair. Freeze-drying and cross-linking techniques were used to fabricate a 3D composite scaffold that combined the excellent biological characteristics of human-like collagen (HLC) and the outstanding mechanical properties of nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA). The scaffolds were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and compression tests, using Relive® Artificial Bone (RAB) scaffolds as a control. HLC/nHA scaffolds displayed homogeneous interconnected macroporous structure and could withstand a compression stress of 2.67 ± 0.37 MPa, which was higher than that of the control group. Rabbit chondrocytes were seeded on the composite porous scaffolds and cultured for 21 days. Cell/scaffold constructs were examined using SEM, histological procedures, and biochemical assays for cell proliferation and the production of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). The results indicated that HLC/nHA porous scaffolds were capable of encouraging cell adhesion, homogeneous distribution and abundant GAG synthesis, and maintaining natural chondrocyte morphology compared to RAB scaffolds. In conclusion, the presented data warrants the further exploration of HLC/nHA scaffolds as a potential biomimetic platform for chondrocytes in cartilage tissue engineering.     

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of chitosan–gelatin scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering

Chitosan–gelatin polyelectrolyte complexes were fabricated and evaluated as tissue engineering scaffolds for cartilage regeneration in vitro and in vivo. The crosslinker for the gelatin component was selected among glutaraldehyde, bisepoxy, and a water-soluble carbodiimide (WSC) based upon the proliferation of chondrocytes on the crosslinked gelatin. WSC was found to be the most suitable crosslinker. Complex scaffolds made from chitosan and gelatin with a component ratio equal to one possessed the proper degradation rate and mechanical stability in vitro. Chondrocytes were able to proliferate well and secrete abundant extracellular matrix in the chitosan–gelatin (1:1) complex scaffolds crosslinked by WSC (C1G1_WSC) compared to the non-crosslinked scaffolds. Implantation of chondrocytes-seeded scaffolds in the defects of rabbit articular cartilage confirmed that C1G1_WSC promoted the cartilage regeneration. The neotissue formed the histological feature of tide line and lacunae in 6.5 months. The amount of glycosaminoglycans in C1G1_WSC constructs (0.187 ± 0.095 μg/mg tissue) harvested from the animals after 6.5 months was 14 wt.% of that in normal cartilage (1.329 ± 0.660 μg/mg tissue). The average compressive modulus of regenerated tissue at 6.5 months was about 0.539 MPa, which approached to that of normal cartilage (0.735 MPa), while that in the blank control (3.881 MPa) was much higher and typical for fibrous tissue. Type II collagen expression in C1G1_WSC constructs was similarly intense as that in the normal hyaline cartilage. According to the above results, the use of C1G1_WSC scaffolds may enhance the cartilage regeneration in vitro and in vivo.     

Non-cytotoxic organic–inorganic hybrid bioscaffolds: An efficient bedding for rapid growth of bone-like apatite and cell proliferation

Synthesis and characterization of organic–inorganic macroporous hybrid scaffolds were investigated. The materials were prepared by combining 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) and triethoxyvinylsilane (TEVS) chemically modified by Ca^2 + and PO₄^3 ? ions via sol–gel route. In this study we have constructed a sugar-based cracks-free three-dimensional (3D) network with interconnected porous architecture within the range of 150–300 μm and rough topography. The obtained results revealed that both topography and composition of prepared materials allow rapid growth of the bone-like apatite (HAp) layer on their surface after soaking in biological medium. Preliminary studies have shown that hybrids covered by HAp are non-cytotoxic and allow cell proliferation that make them a promising scaffolds in the field of bone regenerative medicine. The materials were mainly characterized by powder X-ray diffraction analysis (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM–EDS) and transmission electron microscopy–energy-dispersive spectroscopy (TEM–EDS).     

Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous Ti1−xTaxO2+x/2 (x = 0.025, 0.05, and 0.075) nanoparticles: Preparation and enhanced photocatalytic activity

Anatase phase, three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3 DOM) Ti_1−xTa_xO_{2 + x / 2} (x = 0.025, 0.05, and 0.075) nanoparticles with macropore diameter 290 to 310 nm, wall thickness 50 to 80 nm, and particle size 10 to 12 nm were prepared by combination of the sol–gel chemistry and polystyrene (PS) templating procedure. The products exhibited relatively narrower band gaps and larger BET surface areas than those of the starting solitary 3 DOM metal oxides, and their photocatalytic activities for the degradation of an aqueous 4-nitrophenol remarkably enhanced compared with 3 DOM anatase TiO₂, Ta₂O₅, and Degussa P-25.     

Fabrication of nanofibrous macroporous scaffolds of poly(lactic acid) incorporating bioactive glass nanoparticles by camphene-assisted phase separation

Here we produced macroporous and nanofibrous scaffolds with bioactive nanocomposite composition, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) incorporating bioactive glass nanoparticles (BGnp) up to 30 wt%, targeting bone regeneration. In particular, the nanofibrous structure in the scaffolds was generated by using a bicyclic monoterpene, camphene (C₁₀H₁₆), through a phase-separation process with PLA-BGnp phase in chloroform/1,4-dioxane co-solvent. Furthermore, macropores were produced by the impregnation of salt particles and their subsequent leaching out, followed by freezing and lyophilization processes. The produced PLA-BGnp scaffolds presented highly porous and nanofibrous structure with porosities of 90–95% and pore sizes of over hundreds of micrometers. BGnp with sizes of ∼90 nm were also evenly impregnated within the PLA matrix, featuring a nanocomposite structure. The nanofibrous scaffolds exhibited enhanced hydrophilicity and more rapid hydrolytic degradation as the incorporated BGnp content increased. The bone-bioactivity of the scaffolds was substantially improved with the incorporation of BGnp, exhibiting rapid formation of apatite throughout the scaffolds in a simulated body fluid. The developed macroporous and nanofibrous scaffolds with PLA-BGnp bioactive composition are considered as a novel 3D matrix potentially useful for bone tissue engineering.     

Trabecular scaffolds created using micro CT guided fused deposition modeling

Free form fabrication and high resolution imaging techniques enable the creation of biomimetic tissue engineering scaffolds. A 3D CAD model of canine trabecular bone was produced via micro CT and exported to a fused deposition modeler, to produce polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) trabeculated scaffolds and four other scaffold groups of varying pore structures. The five scaffold groups were divided into subgroups (n = 6) and compression tested at two load rates (49 N/s and 294 N/s). Two groups were soaked in a 25 °C saline solution for 7 days before compression testing. Micro CT was used to compare porosity, connectivity density, and trabecular separation of each scaffold type to a canine trabecular bone sample. At 49 N/s the dry trabecular scaffolds had a compressive stiffness of 4.94 ± 1.19 MPa, similar to the simple linear small pore scaffolds and significantly more stiff (p < 0.05) than either of the complex interconnected pore scaffolds. At 294 N/s, the compressive stiffness values for all five groups roughly doubled. Soaking in saline had an insignificant effect on stiffness. The trabecular scaffolds matched bone samples in porosity; however, achieving physiologic connectivity density and trabecular separation will require further refining of scaffold processing.     

Composite poly-l-lactic acid/poly-(α,β)-dl-aspartic acid/collagen nanofibrous scaffolds for dermal tissue regeneration

Tissue engineering scaffolds for skin tissue regeneration is an ever expounding area of research, as the products that meet the necessary requirements are far and elite. The nanofibrous poly-l-lactic acid/poly-(α,β)-dl-aspartic acid/Collagen (PLLA/PAA/Col I&III) scaffolds were fabricated by electrospinning and characterized by SEM, contact angle and FTIR analysis for skin tissue regeneration. The cell-scaffold interactions were analyzed by cell proliferation and their morphology observed in SEM. The results showed that the cell proliferation was significantly increased (p ≤ 0.05) in PLLA/PAA/Col I&III scaffolds compared to PLLA and PLLA/PAA nanofibrous scaffolds. The abundance and accessibility of adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) may prove to be novel cell therapeutics for dermal tissue regeneration. The differentiation of ADSCs was confirmed using collagen expression and their morphology by CMFDA dye extrusion technique. The current study focuses on the application of PLLA/PAA/Col I&III nanofibrous scaffolds for skin tissue engineering and their potential use as substrate for the culture and differentiation of ADSCs. The objective for inclusion of a novel cell binding moiety like PAA was to replace damaged extracellular matrix and to guide new cells directly into the wound bed with enhanced proliferation and overall organization. This combinatorial epitome of PLLA/PAA/Col I&III nanofibrous scaffold with stem cell therapy to induce the necessary paracrine signalling effect would favour faster regeneration of the damaged skin tissues.     

Structural,thermal and vibrational characterization of mechanical alloyed In50Te50

Structural, chemical, thermal and vibrational studies of InTe produced by mechanical alloying were carried out using X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and Raman spectroscopy. The main crystalline phases formed after 2 h of milling were the tetragonal (TlSe-type) and high-pressure cubic (NaCl-type) InTe phases. Minority cubic In₂O₃ phase was also nucleated. Mean crystallite size and phase fraction variations with the increase of the milling time were obtained from Rietveld analyses. The distribution of the particle size (centered at about 39 nm) was obtained by images of transmission electron microscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements showed no evidence of nonreacted materials and Raman measurements showed peaks that can be associated with the InTe (TlSe-type) phase and/or the existence of molecular structures of Te (chains/rings). The structural stability of the nanocrystaline phases of the In₅₀Te₅₀ sample milled for 15 h was attested by systematical X-ray diffraction measurements performed up to one year after its production.     

Bone induction by biomimetic PLGA copolymer loaded with a novel synthetic RADA16-P24 peptide in vivo

Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) is a key bone morphogenetic protein, and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) has been widely used as scaffold for clinical use to carry treatment protein. In the previous studies, we have synthesized BMP-2-related peptide (P24) and found its capacity of inducing bone regeneration. In this research, we have synthesized a new amphiphilic peptide Ac-RADA RADA RADA RADA S[PO4]KIPKASSVPTELSAISTLYLDDD-CONH2 (RADA16-P24) with an assembly peptide RADA16-Ion the P24 item of BMP2 to form divalent ion-induced gelatin. Two methods of physisorption and chemical cross-linking were used to bind RADA16-P24 onto the surface of the copolymer PLGA to synthesize RADA16-P24–PLGA, and its capacity of attaching bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) was evaluated in vitro and inducing ectopic bone formation was examined in vivo. In vitro our results demonstrated that RADA16-P24–PLGA copolymer prepared by physisorbing or prepared by chemical cross-linking had a peptide binding rate of (2.0180 ± 0.5296)% or (10.0820 ± 0.8405)% respectively (P < 0.05). In addition the BMSCs proliferated vigorously in the RADA16-P24–PLGA biomaterials. Significantly the percentage of BMSCs attached to RADA16-P24–PLGA composite prepared by chemical cross-linking and physisorbing were (71.4 ± 7.5) % or (46.7 ± 5.8) % (P < 0.05). The in vivo study showed that RADA16-P24–PLGA chemical cross-linking could better induce ectopic bone formation compared with RADA16-P24–PLGA physisorbing and PLGA. It is concluded that the PLGA copolymer is a good RADA16-P24 carrier. This novel RADA16-P24–PLGA composite has strong osteogenic capability.     

Facile fabrication of the porous three-dimensional regenerated silk fibroin scaffolds

In the present work, we report a new facile method to fabricate porous three-dimensional regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) scaffolds through n-butanol- and freezing-induced conformation transition and phase separation. The effects of RSF concentration, freezing temperature and n-butanol addition on the microstructure, the secondary structures of silk fibroin and apparent mechanical properties of the RSF scaffolds were investigated by SEM, ¹³C CP-MAS NMR spectra and mechanical testing, respectively. By adjusting the RSF concentration and n-butanol addition, the pore size of the scaffold could be controlled in the range from of 10 μm to 350 μm with 84%–98% of porosity. The tensile strength of the wet scaffold reached the maximum of 755.2 ± 33.6 kPa when the concentration of RSF solution was increased to 15% w/w. Moreover, post-treatment with ethanol further induced conformation transition of RSF from random coil or helix to β-sheet. The porous scaffolds prepared by this facile and energy-saving method with good biocompatibility will have great potential for application in tissue engineering.