High conversion self-curing sealer based on a novel injectable polyurethane system for root canal filling

Low monomer–polymer conversion is the key factor leading to cytotoxicity for resin-containing restorative materials. This paper provides a new root canal filling system based on self-curing injectable polyurethane which can achieve high conversion in a short time. Traced FTIR spectra show more than 90% NCO group participated in the curing reaction after 4 h, and only about 5% remained after 24 h. The calculated data also testified the curing process supports a third-order reaction, and this efficient and sufficient reaction is postulated to weaken the toxic stimulation. By culturing with L929 murine fibroblasts, the PU sealer is shown to be favorable for cell attachment and proliferation. Then physicochemical properties of the injectable PU-based sealer were evaluated according to the Standard [ISO 6876:2001 (E)] for clinical application. A series of physicochemical properties of PU sealer have been tested comparing with AH Plus and Apexit Plus. And the results present that the self-curing PU sealer could not only match the clinic requirements, but even has better properties than the other two commercial sealers. We expect the high conversion PU sealer has a tremendous potential in the field of root canal filling after further biological evaluation.     

氧化石墨烯/丝素蛋白凝胶结构及其性能研究

目前医用凝胶材料普遍存在力学强度较差及生物降解速度过快等问题。以蚕丝丝素蛋白(SF)凝胶为基础材料,加入氧化石墨烯(GO),并将1-乙基-(3-二甲基氨基丙基)碳二亚胺盐酸盐(EDC)及N-羟基琥珀酰亚胺(NHS)作为交联剂制备SF/GO复合凝胶,旨在改善凝胶材料的力学性能,使其在保证复合凝胶材料应有的力学强度的同时,发挥丝素蛋白、氧化石墨烯的生物学效应及凝胶材料的多孔支架作用。实验结果显示,EDC的加入可以使得SF、GO共混形成稳定、均匀的无规卷曲结构,扫描电镜(SEM)显示SF/GO凝胶具有典型的多孔结构。GO的加入可以有效缩短复合材料的凝胶时间,同时复合凝胶材料的力学性能得到明显改善,其压缩强度提高40%以上。GO的加入还可明显延长材料的降解时间。基于SF/GO的复合凝胶在组织修复及再生领域具有较好的应用前景。     

可注射乙酰化乙二醇壳聚糖/泊洛沙姆复合水凝胶的制备及药物缓释研究EI北大核心CSCD

泊洛沙姆(poloxamer)是一种温敏性聚合物,在浓度为15.0%(质量分数,下同)~30.0%时可形成凝胶。为改善泊洛沙姆在体温下的成胶浓度和药物缓释性能,以泊洛沙姆407为基底,与新型温敏性乙酰化乙二醇壳聚糖复合,制得了温敏性乙酰化乙二醇壳聚糖/泊洛沙姆复合水凝胶。通过傅里叶变换红外光谱(FT-IR)、试管倒置法、旋转流变仪、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)和紫外-可见分光光度计(UV-vis)对乙酰化乙二醇壳聚糖/泊洛沙姆的结构、温敏性、力学性能、微观形貌和体外药物释放性能进行表征。结果表明,乙酰化乙二醇壳聚糖/泊洛沙姆溶液具有热可逆温敏性溶胶-凝胶转变行为。通过控制乙酰化乙二醇壳聚糖/泊洛沙姆的质量比,能够使溶胶-凝胶转变温度处于室温与体温(25~37℃)之间,缩短凝胶化时间(382s),降低泊洛沙姆407在体温下的成胶浓度(6%)。乙酰化乙二醇壳聚糖/泊洛沙姆复合水凝胶具有高度孔隙化的三维结构,其孔径大小处于10~60μm范围内,且表现出较高的力学性能。乙酰化乙二醇壳聚糖/泊洛沙姆复合水凝胶对抗癌药物吉西他滨具有缓释作用,载药凝胶的释药时间可达72 h。乙酰化乙二醇壳聚糖/泊洛沙姆复合水凝胶在可注射药物缓释载体方面具有重要的应用前景。     

Fabrication and characterization of bioactive silk fibroin/wollastonite composite scaffolds

Composite scaffolds of silk fibroin (SF) with bioactive wollastonite were prepared by freeze-drying. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy analysis showed that random coil and β-sheet structure co-existed in the SF scaffold. The mechanical performance, surface hydrophilicity and water-uptake capacity of the composite scaffolds were improved compared with those of pure SF scaffold. The bioactivity of the composite scaffold was evaluated by soaking in a simulated body fluid (SBF), and formation of a hydroxycarbonate apatite (HCA) layer was determined by FT-IR and XRD. The results showed that the SF/wollastonite composite scaffold was bioactive as it induced the formation of HCA on the surface of the composite scaffold after soaking in SBF for 5 days. In vitro cell attachment and proliferation tests showed that the composite scaffold was a good matrix for the growth of L929 mouse fibroblast cells. Consequently, the incorporation of wollastonite into the SF scaffold can enhance both the mechanical strength and bioactivity of the scaffold, which suggests that the SF/wollastonite composite scaffold may be a potential biomaterial for tissue engineering.     

Preparation of open porous polycaprolactone microspheres and their applications as effective cell carriers in hydrogel system

Common hydrogel, composed of synthetic polymers or natural polysaccharides could not support the adhesion of anchorage-dependent cells due to the lack of cell affinitive interface and high cell constraint. The use of porous polyester microspheres as cell-carriers and introduction of cell-loaded microspheres into the hydrogel system might overcome the problem. However, the preparation of the open porous microsphere especially using polycaprolactone (PCL) has been rarely reported. Here, the open porous PCL microspheres were fabricated via the combined emulsion/solvent evaporation and particle leaching method. The microspheres exhibited porous surface and inter-connective pore structure. Additionally, the pore structure could be easily controlled by adjusting the processing parameters. The surface pore size could be altered from 20 μm to 80 μm and the internal porosities were varied from 30% to 70%. The obtained microspheres were evaluated to delivery mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and showed the improved cell adhesion and growth when compared with the non-porous microspheres. Then, the MSCs loaded microspheres were introduced into agarose hydrogel. MSCs remained alive and sustained proliferation in microsphere/agarose composite in 5-day incubation while a decrement of MSCs viabilities was found in agarose hydrogel without microspheres. The results indicated that the microsphere/hydrogel composite had a great potential in cell therapy and injectable system for tissue regeneration.     

The osteogenic differentiation of dog bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in a thermo-sensitive injectable chitosan/collagen/β-glycerophosphate hydrogel: in vitro and in vivo

Type I collagen was added to the composite chitosan solution in a ratio of 1:2 to build a physical cross-linked self-forming chitosan/collagen/β-GP hydrogel. Osteogenic properties of this novel injectable hydrogel were evaluated. Gelation time was about 8 min which offered enough time for handling a mixture containing cells and the subsequent injection. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) observations indicated good spreading of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in this hydrogel scaffold. Mineral nodules were found in the dog-BMSCs inoculated hydrogel by SEM after 28 days. After subcutaneous injection into nude mouse dorsum for 4 weeks, partial bone formation was observed in the chitosan/collagen/β-GP hydrogel loaded with pre-osteodifferentiated dog-BMSCs, which indicated that chitosan/collagen/β-GP hydrogel composite could induce osteodifferentiation in BMSCs without exposure to a continual supply of external osteogenic factors. In conclusion, the novel chitosan/collagen/β-GP hydrogel composite should prove useful as a bone regeneration scaffold.     

Preparation and characterization of silk fibroin hydrogel as injectable implants for sustained release of Risperidone

The principal objective of the present study is to achieve a depot formulation of Risperidone by gelation of silk fibroin (SF). For this purpose, hydrochloric acid (HCl)/acetone-based and methanol-based hydrogels were prepared with different drug/polymer ratios (1:3, 1:6, and 1:15). For all the drug-loaded methanol-based hydrogels, gel transition of SF solutions occurred immediately and the gelation time was 1?min, while the gelation time of HCL/acetone-based hydrogels was around 360?min. According to the results obtined from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra, solvent systems and Risperidone could induce β-sheet structure, but HCL/acetone system had the lowest effect on induction of β-sheets. The crystallinity was increased by increasing the amount of Risperidone, and drug to polymer ratio of 1:3 possessed the highest crystallinity. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that increasing the amount of drug in formulation increased the stability of hydrogels, and methanol-based hydrogel with a ratio of 1:3 had the most stable structure. The release rate of Risperidone from methanol-based hydrogel at ratio of 1:3 was lower than that for HCl/acetone-based one, and it decreased by increasing the amount of Risperidone. The release of Risperidone from methanol hydrogel at ratios 1:3 and 1:6 continued up to 25?d which is acceptable for depot form of Risperidone and shows that the extended release of Risperidone was achieved successfully. In conclusion, SF hydrogel with the ability to respond to the environmental stimuli is an excellent candidate for injectable implants for extended release of Risperidone.     

Biomimetic properties of an injectable chitosan/nano-hydroxyapatite/collagen composite

To meet the challenges of designing an injectable scaffold and regenerating bone with complex three-dimensional (3D) structures, a biomimetic and injectable hydrogel scaffold based on nano-hydroxyapatite (HA), collagen (Col) and chitosan (Chi) is synthesized. The chitosan/nano-hydroxyapatite/collagen (Chi/HA/Col) solution rapidly forms a stable gel at body temperature. It shows some features of natural bone both in main composition and microstructure. The Chi/HA/Col system can be expected as a candidate for workable systemic minimally invasive scaffolds with surface properties similar to physiological bone based on scanning electron microscopic (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) results.     

Curing kinetics and mechanical properties of a composite hydrogel for the replacement of the nucleuspulposus

A polymer material system has been developed to propose an injectable, UV and insitu curable hydrogel with properties similar to the native nucleuspulposus of intervertebral disc. Neat hydrogels based on Tween® 20 trimethacrylates (T3) and N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP) and composite hydrogels of same composition reinforced by nano-fibrillated cellulose were synthesized with different T3 concentrations and their curing kinetics was investigated by photorheology using UV light. The T3 concentration has an influence on the time of curing and final shear stiffness of the material. NFC does not alter the time of curing but increases the final mechanical performance of the hydrogels for a same chemical composition. Hydrogel samples, neat and composite, were then tested in unconfined compression at different hydration stages and in confined compression and their elastic modulus was determined. The amount of fluid present in the network is mostly responsible for the mechanical properties and NFC fibres proved to be an efficient reinforcement. The elastic modulus ranged from 0.02 to 8 MPa. Biocompatibility studies showed that cells are confluent at 90% and do not show any morphology change when in contact with the hydrogel. The present hydrogel can therefore be considered for NP replacement.     

纳米羟基磷灰石/丝素蛋白/聚己内酯复合超细纤维的制备及表征

通过静电纺丝法制备出纳米羟基磷灰石/丝素蛋白/聚己内酯复合超细纤维,利用扫描电镜、红外光谱仪、X射线衍射仪对纳米羟基磷灰石/丝素蛋白/聚己内酯复合超细纤维形貌和结构进行表征,并进行了拉伸测试。结果表明,随着超细纤维中羟基磷灰石含量的增加,纤维的直径逐渐降低,纤维中聚己内酯的结晶逐渐变差。相比于丝素蛋白/聚己内酯超细纤维,含有质量比为30%羟基磷灰石的复合超细纤维仍具有较好的力学性能。体外小鼠成纤维细胞(L929)培养表明,纳米羟基磷灰石/丝素蛋白/聚己内酯复合超细纤维对细胞没有毒性。     

Biocompatibility evaluation of protein-incorporated electrospun polyurethane-based scaffolds with smooth muscle cells for vascular tissue engineering

Nanotechnology has enabled the engineering of a variety of materials to meet the current challenges and needs in vascular tissue regeneration. In this study, four different kinds of native proteins namely collagen, gelatin, fibrinogen, and bovine serum albumin were incorporated with polyurethane (PU) and electropsun to obtain composite PU/protein nanofibers. SEM studies showed that the fiber diameters of PU/protein scaffolds ranged from 245 to 273 nm, mimicking the nanoscale dimensions of native ECM. Human aortic smooth muscle cells (SMCs) were cultured on the electrospun nanofibers, and the ability of the cells to proliferate on different scaffolds was evaluated via a cell proliferation assay. Cell proliferation on PU/Coll nanofibers was found the highest compared to other electrospun scaffolds and it was 42 % higher than the proliferation on PU/Fib nanofibers after 12 days of cell culture. The cell–biomaterial interaction studies by SEM confirmed that SMCs adhered to PU/Coll and PU/Gel nanofibers, with high cell substrate coverage, and both the scaffolds promoted cell alignment. The functionality of the cells was further demonstrated by immunocytochemical analysis, where the SMCs on PU/Coll and PU/Gel nanofibers expressed higher density of SMC proteins such as alpha smooth muscle actin and smooth muscle myosin heavy chain. Cells expressed biological markers of SMCs including aligned spindle-like morphology on both PU/Coll and PU/Gel with actin filament organizations, better than PU/Fib and PU/BSA scaffolds. Our studies demonstrate the potential of randomly oriented elastomeric composite scaffolds for engineering of vascular tissues causing cell alignment.     

25th Anniversary Article: Rational Design and Applications of Hydrogels in Regenerative Medicine

Hydrogels are hydrophilic polymer‐based materials with high water content and physical characteristics that resemble the native extracellular matrix. Because of their remarkable properties, hydrogel systems are used for a wide range of biomedical applications, such as three‐dimensional (3D) matrices for tissue engineering, drug‐delivery vehicles, composite biomaterials, and as injectable fillers in minimally invasive surgeries. In addition, the rational design of hydrogels with controlled physical and biological properties can be used to modulate cellular functionality and tissue morphogenesis. Here, the development of advanced hydrogels with tunable physiochemical properties is highlighted, with particular emphasis on elastomeric, light‐sensitive, composite, and shape‐memory hydrogels. Emerging technologies developed over the past decade to control hydrogel architecture are also discussed and a number of potential applications and challenges in the utilization of hydrogels in regenerative medicine are reviewed. It is anticipated that the continued development of sophisticated hydrogels will result in clinical applications that will improve patient care and quality of life.     

Hyaluronic acid/mildly crosslinked alginate hydrogel as an injectable tissue adhesion barrier

Although hyaluronic acid (HA) has been conventionally utilized as a tissue adhesion barrier material, its rapid clearance in the body still remains as a big challenge in the clinical practice. In this study, we prepared a hydrogel of HA embedded in mildly crosslinked alginate (HA/mcALG hydrogel), which is injectable, easily covers injured tissues, and remains stably at the applied site during wound healing (by muco-adhesive HA embedded in the network structure of the mcALG hydrogel). The HA/mcALG hydrogel was highly effective for the prevention of peritoneal tissue adhesion compared to HA and mcALG hydrogels, and did not lead to any abnormal tissue responses during wound healing. The HA/mcALG hydrogel can be a good candidate as an injectable tissue adhesion barrier for clinical applications.     

Mechanical properties and in vitro behavior of nanofiber-hydrogel composites for tissue engineering applications

Hydrogel-based biomaterial systems have great potential for tissue reconstruction by serving as temporary scaffolds and cell delivery vehicles for tissue engineering (TE). Hydrogels have poor mechanical properties and their rapid degradation limits the development and application of hydrogels in TE. In this study, nanofiber reinforced composite hydrogels were fabricated by incorporating electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/gelatin 'blend' or 'coaxial' nanofibers into gelatin hydrogels. The morphological, mechanical, swelling and biodegradation properties of the nanocomposite hydrogels were evaluated and the results indicated that the moduli and compressive strengths of the nanofiber reinforced hydrogels were remarkably higher than those of pure gelatin hydrogels. By increasing the amount of incorporated nanofibers into the hydrogel, the Young's modulus of the composite hydrogels increased from 3.29 ± 1.02 kPa to 20.30 ± 1.79 kPa, while the strain at break decreased from 66.0 ± 1.1% to 52.0 ± 3.0%. Compared to composite hydrogels with coaxial nanofibers, those with blend nanofibers showed higher compressive strength and strain at break, but with lower modulus and energy dissipation properties. Biocompatibility evaluations of the nanofiber reinforced hydrogels were carried out using bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) by cell proliferation assay and immunostaining analysis. The nanocomposite hydrogel with 25 mg ml(-1) PCL/gelatin 'blend' nanofibers (PGB25) was found to enhance cell proliferation, indicating that the 'nanocomposite hydrogels' might provide the necessary mechanical support and could be promising cell delivery systems for tissue regeneration.     

Tailoring material properties of a nanofibrous extracellular matrix derived hydrogel

In the native tissue, the interaction between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) is essential for cell migration, proliferation, differentiation, mechanical stability, and signaling. It has been shown that decellularized ECMs can be processed into injectable formulations, thereby allowing for minimally invasive delivery. Upon injection and increase in temperature, these materials self-assemble into porous gels forming a complex network of fibers with nanoscale structure. In this study we aimed to examine and tailor the material properties of a self-assembling ECM hydrogel derived from porcine myocardial tissue, which was developed as a tissue specific injectable scaffold for cardiac tissue engineering. The impact of gelation parameters on ECM hydrogels has not previously been explored. We examined how modulating pH, temperature, ionic strength, and concentration affected the nanoscale architecture, mechanical properties, and gelation kinetics. These material characteristics were assessed using scanning electron microscopy, rheometry, and spectrophotometry, respectively. Since the main component of the myocardial matrix is collagen, many similarities between the ECM hydrogel and collagen gels were observed in terms of the nanofibrous structure and modulation of properties by altering ionic strength. However, variation from collagen gels was noted for the gelation temperature along with varied times and rates of gelation. These discrepancies when compared to collagen are likely due to the presence of other ECM components in the decellularized ECM based hydrogel. These results demonstrate how the material properties of ECM hydrogels could be tailored for future in vitro and in vivo applications.     

Ⅰ型胶原/海藻酸钠/透明质酸复合水凝胶用于血管组织工程细胞负载与3D培养EI北大核心CSCD

胶原、海藻酸钠和透明质酸是天然来源的高分子材料,具有良好的细胞相容性与生物安全性,在细胞培养、组织工程、药物负载等方面具有广泛应用。单纯的胶原力学性能较差,将胶原与海藻酸钠制备成复合水凝胶材料后,可以通过调节海藻酸钠与Ca^(2+)交联程度来改变水凝胶支架的力学性能和孔隙率,模拟细胞培养的力学环境和细胞微环境。本研究通过PIUMA纳米压痕仪和DHR流变仪表征Ⅰ型胶原/海藻酸钠/透明质酸水凝胶的杨氏模量和溶胶-凝胶转变温度。并将内皮细胞与间充质干细胞在水凝胶微环境内进行3D培养,倒置荧光显微镜观察细胞培养0,3,5,7 d时细胞的活力情况,表征Ⅰ型胶原/海藻酸钠/透明质酸水凝胶的细胞相容性,并在内皮细胞与间充质干细胞培养0,1,4,6 d时,观察内皮细胞的迁移、成血管情况,在培养1,6,9 d时,观察内皮细胞的生长扩散情况。结果表明:水凝胶杨氏模量为(600±81)Pa,水凝胶的溶胶-凝胶转变温度为23.2℃。细胞培养0,3,5,7 d时,活力持续增强,培养4,6 d时,观测到共培养下内皮细胞的迁移,培养1,6,9 d时,水凝胶内的内皮细胞球体持续生长扩散。本工作表明,Ⅰ型胶原/海藻酸钠/透明质酸水凝胶对内皮细胞与间充质干细胞具有良好的细胞相容性,可用于细胞3D培养的理想支架材料。水凝胶的杨氏模量和溶胶-凝胶转变温度对细胞活力无损害,可作为研究血管新生的相关体外模型,在血管组织工程研究中具有重要的应用前景。     

Sustained release of Semaphorin 3A from α-tricalcium phosphate based cement composite contributes to osteoblastic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells

The reinforcement of calcium phosphate materials with silk fibroin (SF) has been one of the strategies to overcome the brittleness. However, the lack of osteoinductivity may still restrict their further use. This study aimed to investigate the biocompatibility and osteogenesis capacity of a novel Semaphorin 3A-loaded chitosan microspheres/SF/α-tricalcium phosphate composite (Sema3A CMs/SF/α-TCP) in vitro. Sema3A was first incorporated into CMs, and the Sema3A CMs/SF/α-TCP composite was then prepared. The morphology of the CMs was observed using SEM. The in vitro release kinetics, cytotoxicity, and cell compatibility were evaluated, and the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were used to evaluate the osteogenesis capacity of the composite. The in vitro release of Sema3A from the Sema3A CMs/SF/α-TCP composite showed a temporally controlled manner. The extract of the Sema3A CMs/SF/α-TCP composite presented no obvious side effect on the MC3T3-E1 cell proliferation, nor promote cell proliferation. The MC3T3-E1 cells were well-spread and presented an elongated shape on the Sema3A CMs/SF/α-TCP composite surface; the ALP activity and the osteogenic-related gene expression were higher than those seeded on the surface of the CMs/SF/α-TCP and SF/α-TCP composites. In conclusion, Sema3A CMs/SF/α-TCP has excellent biocompatibility and contributes to the osteoblastic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells.     

羟基磷灰石纳米纤维增强甲基丙烯酸酐改性明胶复合水凝胶的制备及性能

采用溶剂热法制备了具有超高长径比的羟基磷灰石(HAP)纳米纤维,并将其与甲基丙烯酸酐改性明胶(GelMA)结合,利用紫外光交联制备了HAP纳米纤维/GelMA复合水凝胶。通过SEM、XRD、力学测试、溶胀测试、降解测试、细胞培养等对HAP纳米纤维/GelMA复合水凝胶进行结构表征和性能测试。SEM断面观察表明,HAP纳米纤维/GelMA水凝胶呈三维孔隙贯通的多孔结构。力学实验表明,HAP纳米纤维能有效增强水凝胶的弹性模量,且随着HAP纳米纤维添加量的增加,力学性能增强效果越明显。溶胀实验表明,当HAP纳米纤维质量分数为5.2wt%~14.2wt%时,HAP纳米纤维复合水凝胶的溶胀率变化不明显,当质量分数为18.2wt%时,溶胀率降低。降解实验表明,HAP纳米纤维的加入能有效保持水凝胶结构形态,使其更加稳定可控。细胞包裹培养实验表明,HAP纳米纤维/GelMA复合水凝胶能为细胞提供良好的三维生长环境,表现出优良的生物相容性。本实验制备的HAP纳米纤维/GelMA复合水凝胶在组织工程领域有着良好的应用前景。      

Rapid prototyping of a hybrid hierarchical polyurethane-cell/hydrogel construct for regenerative medicine

The creation of branched vascular systems has attracted significant attention from both scientific and clinical areas. However, it is still a formidable challenge to build a three-dimensional (3-D) branched vascular system mimicking the native vascular systems with the traditional or existing fabrication methods. Here we demonstrate rapid manufacturing of a hybrid hierarchical polyurethane-cell/Hydrogel construct by a double-nozzle low-temperature deposition system. Based on this approach, a 3-D vascular template with both synthetic scaffold polymer and cell/hydrogel systems was constructed. The synthetic PU was used as an external scaffold material to provide mechanical support, while the gelatin/alginate/fibrinogen hydrogel was used as an internal scaffold material for adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC) accommodation. After the fabrication stages, the coherent 3-D composite construct was thawed at room temperature, crosslinked/polymerized with aqueous solutions, cultured in vitro under static or dynamic conditions, and embedded in vivo with stable architectures and excellent biocompatibilities. This technology will enable rapid manufacture of complex branched vascular templates for a wide array of scientific and clinical applications.     

Evaluation of Injectable Composite Material Comprising Biphasic Bone Substitutes and Crosslinked Collagen

Bone tissue engineering has emerged as a promising approach to regenerate bone tissue, and injectable biomaterials have shown potential for bone regeneration applications due to their ease of administration and ability to fill irregularly shaped defects. This study aims to develop and characterize an injectable composite material comprising biphasic bone substitutes (BBS) and crosslinked porcine collagen type I for bone regeneration applications. The collagen is crosslinked via a UVA-riboflavin crosslinking strategy and evaluated by testing the physicochemical properties, including the rheological behavior, dynamic storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″), and in vitro degradation process. The results show that the crosslinked collagen (xCol) exhibits suitable physicochemical properties for injectability and improved viscoelasticity and degradation resistance. Furthermore, xCol is then combined with BBS in a predetermined ratio, obtaining the injectable composite material. The biocompatibility of the materials is evaluated in vitro by XTT and BrdU assays on fibroblasts and preosteoblasts. The results demonstrate that the composite material is biocompatible and supporting pre-osteoblasts proliferation. In conclusion, the injectable composite material BBS-xCol has promising physiochemical and biological properties for bone regeneration applications. Further studies are warranted to evaluate its efficacy in vivo and optimize its composition for clinical translation.