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Published on: October 23, 2015
Biocompatibility of PCL/PLGA-BCP porous scaffold for bone tissue engineering applications
Nguyen Thi Hiep1, Huynh Chan Khon1, Nguyen Dai Hai2,3
1a Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Biomedical Engineering Department , International University, Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCMC) , Ho Chi Minh City , Vietnam.
New biomimetic scaffolds made of polycaprolactone/poly (lactide-co-glycolide) loaded with biphasic tricalcium phosphate support bone regeneration. These PCL/PLGA-BCP scaffolds promote human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell proliferation and osteoblastic differentiation in vitro and ossification in vivo.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Developing effective bone graft substitutes is crucial for treating bone defects.
- Biodegradable polymers like polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) are widely used in tissue engineering.
- Incorporating ceramic phases, such as biphasic tricalcium phosphate (BCP), can enhance the osteoconductive properties of scaffolds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate and characterize biomimetic porous scaffolds composed of PCL/PLGA loaded with BCP.
- To evaluate the in vitro biocompatibility and osteogenic potential of the PCL/PLGA-BCP scaffolds using human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs).
- To assess the in vivo bone formation capacity of the fabricated scaffolds.
Main Methods:
- Scaffolds were fabricated using the solvent evaporation method.
- Material characterization included micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS).
- In vitro studies involved MTT assay, fluorescence observation, H&E staining, and RT-PCR to assess hBMSC proliferation and differentiation.
- In vivo evaluation utilized micro-CT and histological staining to observe ossification.
Main Results:
- Successful fabrication of porous PCL/PLGA-BCP scaffolds with confirmed BCP distribution.
- Scaffolds demonstrated suitable hydrophilicity.
- In vitro results showed significant proliferation and osteoblastic differentiation of hBMSCs on the scaffolds over three weeks.
- In vivo experiments indicated successful ossification within the scaffolds.
Conclusions:
- The fabricated PCL/PLGA-BCP scaffolds exhibit excellent biocompatibility and osteoconductivity.
- These biomimetic scaffolds show great potential as bone graft substitutes for promoting bone regeneration.
- Further research could explore the long-term in vivo efficacy and clinical applications of these advanced biomaterials.
