IADR Abstract Archives
Electrospun-Fibrous Scaffold Designed for Bone Tissue Regeneration
Objectives: Bone tissue engineering is a minimally invasive technique to regenerate bone, using a biomaterial scaffold that mimics the structure and function of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Recently, the electrospinning technique gained popularity since the fabricated fibrous meshes resemble the ECM structure and demonstrate high porosity.
In the present study, we fabricated a fibrous scaffold made via coaxial electrospinning composed of polycaprolactone (PCL) polymer together with hyaluronic acid (HA) and incorporating a short self-assembling peptide, FmocFRGD, for bone tissue engineering applications.
HA is abundant in the ECM and is used extensively in regenerative medicine; however, its processability by electrospinning is poor and it must be combined with another polymer. The peptide includes the RGD motif that supports cellular attachment based on molecular recognition.
Methods: A composite scaffold with a core/shell morphology composed of PCL and HA and incorporating FmocFRGD peptide, was fabricated via electrospinning. Scanning electron and confocal microscopy were used to visualize the scaffold structure. In vitro biocompatibility quantitative and qualitative assays were performed to evaluate the attachment of MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts to the scaffold. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and alizarin red staining assays were performed to reveal whether the scaffold has the potential to induce osteogenic differentiation.
Results: Electron microscopy imaging demonstrated that the fibrous scaffold structure resembles the ECM morphology, and confocal microscopy revealed that the 3 components occupy the entire volume of the fibers. In vitro biocompatibility assays revealed the attachment and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts to the scaffold, with significant osteogenic differentiation and calcium mineralization.
Conclusions: The addition of HA and FmocFRGD to the scaffold improved the bioactivity and cell affinity, and facilitated osteogenic differentiation, as demonstrated by ALP activity and biomineralization.
Our work emphasizes the potential of this multi-component approach by which electrospinning, molecular self-assembly, and molecular recognition motifs are combined, to generate a leading scaffold for bone regeneration.
In the present study, we fabricated a fibrous scaffold made via coaxial electrospinning composed of polycaprolactone (PCL) polymer together with hyaluronic acid (HA) and incorporating a short self-assembling peptide, FmocFRGD, for bone tissue engineering applications.
HA is abundant in the ECM and is used extensively in regenerative medicine; however, its processability by electrospinning is poor and it must be combined with another polymer. The peptide includes the RGD motif that supports cellular attachment based on molecular recognition.
Methods: A composite scaffold with a core/shell morphology composed of PCL and HA and incorporating FmocFRGD peptide, was fabricated via electrospinning. Scanning electron and confocal microscopy were used to visualize the scaffold structure. In vitro biocompatibility quantitative and qualitative assays were performed to evaluate the attachment of MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts to the scaffold. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and alizarin red staining assays were performed to reveal whether the scaffold has the potential to induce osteogenic differentiation.
Results: Electron microscopy imaging demonstrated that the fibrous scaffold structure resembles the ECM morphology, and confocal microscopy revealed that the 3 components occupy the entire volume of the fibers. In vitro biocompatibility assays revealed the attachment and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts to the scaffold, with significant osteogenic differentiation and calcium mineralization.
Conclusions: The addition of HA and FmocFRGD to the scaffold improved the bioactivity and cell affinity, and facilitated osteogenic differentiation, as demonstrated by ALP activity and biomineralization.
Our work emphasizes the potential of this multi-component approach by which electrospinning, molecular self-assembly, and molecular recognition motifs are combined, to generate a leading scaffold for bone regeneration.