Increased osteoblast function on PLGA composites containing nanophase titania.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Orthopedic Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Nanomaterials offer superior properties but their biological applications, especially mimicking in vivo conditions for bone cells, are underexplored.
• Osteoblasts (bone-forming cells) interact with scaffold surface topography for function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if nanophase ceramics enhance osteoblast functions more than conventional ceramics when incorporated into polymer scaffolds.
• To assess the impact of nanophase titania on osteoblast adhesion, alkaline phosphatase synthesis, and calcium mineral deposition.

Main Methods:

• Poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) scaffolds were fabricated with varying weight percentages (10-30 wt%) of nanophase titania and conventional titania.
• In vitro studies were conducted to evaluate osteoblast functions on these composite scaffolds.
• Material properties like chemistry, phase, porosity, and pore size were analyzed to ensure comparability between groups.

Main Results:

• Osteoblast adhesion, alkaline phosphatase synthesis, and calcium-containing mineral deposition were significantly increased on PLGA scaffolds containing nanophase titania compared to those with conventional titania.
• The enhanced functions were observed with increasing weight percentages of nanophase titania.
• Key material properties were similar, suggesting surface features of nanophase titania are critical.

Conclusions:

• Nanophase titania, when incorporated into PLGA scaffolds, demonstrably enhances osteoblast functions in vitro.
• The surface topography created by nanophase ceramics is a crucial factor in promoting osteoblast activity.
• Nanophase ceramics show significant promise as advanced materials for orthopedic tissue engineering applications.