Electrospun Poly-ε-Caprolactone (PCL)/Dicalcium Phosphate Dihydrate (DCPD) Composite Scaffold for Tissue Engineering...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Electrospun scaffolds offer superior cell adhesion, growth, and tissue healing compared to other methods.
• Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a widely used biocompatible polymer for tissue engineering.
• Enhancing scaffold properties is crucial for optimizing regenerative medicine outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate polycaprolactone (PCL) and PCL/DCPD composite scaffolds using electrospinning.
• To characterize the physical, thermal, and surface properties of the fabricated scaffolds.
• To evaluate the cytocompatibility and cell growth enhancement of the PCL/DCPD composite scaffolds for tissue engineering.

Main Methods:

• Electrospinning technique for scaffold fabrication.
• Characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with X-ray elemental analysis, atomic force microscopy (AFM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and contact angle analysis.
• In vitro cytotoxicity assessment using MTT assay with human gingival fibroblast (HGF) cells.

Main Results:

• Uniform, bead-free electrospun fibers with controlled diameter were achieved.
• PCL/DCPD scaffolds exhibited significantly increased surface roughness (440 nm) compared to PCL scaffolds (100 nm).
• DSC analysis confirmed DCPD's effect on thermal stability, while contact angle measurements indicated improved hydrophilicity and water absorption for PCL/DCPD.
• MTT assays demonstrated no toxicity of the scaffolds to HGF cells and confirmed enhanced cell viability and growth on the composite scaffold surface.

Conclusions:

• Electrospinning parameters can be engineered to fabricate effective PCL/DCPD composite scaffolds.
• The PCL/DCPD composite scaffolds possess enhanced physical and surface properties beneficial for tissue engineering.
• These scaffolds show promising potential for promoting cell viability and tissue regeneration.