Method: Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) (75/25 LA/GA) was dissolved in dichloromethane at 20 weight % and electrospun at 2.5 ml.h-1 between 15-17 kV. The HA coating was created by using a wet precipitation method. The calcium and phosphorous precursors were dissolved separately in distilled water. The membrane was then placed in the calcium salt solution, and the phosphate salt solution titrated drop-wise. After the completion of the titration, the membrane was removed and dried at 37 °C for 24 h. The precipitate was washed with distilled water before being dried at 80 °C. The weight percentage change of the HA coating was calculated from the pre- and post-coating membrane weights. Human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) were cultured on the coated membranes in vitro.
Result: X-ray diffraction (XRD) on the dried precipitate confirmed the successful fabrication of hydroxyapatite, with no secondary phases present. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated a uniform HA coating on the PLGA membrane. The average percentage weight change for the membrane following the incorporation of HA was 7 %. In vitro cell culture using human MSCs suggested that both unloaded membranes and HA-loaded membranes were biocompatible.
Conclusion: Wet chemical precipitation was a suitable method for the fabrication of biocompatible composite membranes with significant potential for use in bone regeneration.