Polycaprolactone/carboxymethyl chitosan nanofibrous scaffolds for bone tissue engineering application.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Developing effective scaffolds is crucial for bone tissue engineering.
• Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a common biomaterial, but its properties can be enhanced with additives.
• Chitosan and its derivatives offer potential for improved biocompatibility and cell interaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the physical properties and cell compatibility of PCL/chitosan (CTS) and PCL/carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) nanofibrous scaffolds.
• To compare the performance of CMC-modified scaffolds against CTS-modified ones for bone regeneration.
• To evaluate the potential of these scaffolds in bone tissue engineering applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of nanofibrous scaffolds using electrospinning technique.
• Characterization of scaffold morphology and fiber diameter using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
• Assessment of surface hydrophilicity via water contact angle measurements.
• Confirmation of scaffold composition using Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.
• Evaluation of cell compatibility and proliferation using human osteoblast cells (MG63).

Main Results:

• PCL/CMC scaffolds exhibited improved fiber morphology, eliminating defects seen in PCL/CTS scaffolds.
• Surface hydrophilicity was significantly enhanced in PCL/CMC scaffolds, with water contact angle decreasing from 123° to 51° with increasing CMC concentration.
• Higher CMC concentrations led to decreased average fiber diameter (356 nm for PCL/CMC 15% vs. 439 nm for PCL/CTS 15%).
• All tested scaffolds demonstrated biocompatibility with MG63 cells.
• PCL/CMC nanofibers promoted enhanced osteoblast proliferation compared to PCL and PCL/CTS scaffolds, particularly at higher CMC concentrations.

Conclusions:

• PCL/CMC nanofibrous scaffolds offer superior physical properties, including improved fiber structure and surface hydrophilicity, compared to PCL/CTS scaffolds.
• The enhanced hydrophilicity and fiber characteristics of PCL/CMC scaffolds support improved osteoblast proliferation.
• PCL/CMC electrospun scaffolds represent a promising candidate material for advanced bone tissue engineering strategies.