Silicon-incorporated nanohydroxyapatite-reinforced poly(ε-caprolactone) film to enhance osteogenesis for bone tissue...

Biomaterials composed of polymers and bioceramics have great prospects to repair large and complicated bone defects. Here, we developed a composite film consisting of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and silicon-substituted hydroxyapatite (Si-HA) nanoparticles to enhance the osteogenic effects of the scaffold for bone tissue engineering applications. The results showed that the Si-HA nanoparticles obtained an even distribution in the PCL matrix, resulting in a homogeneous composite film. Compared to HA-incorporated PCL film, the addition of silicon did not cause hydrophilic alterations to the film surface. With the seeding of mouse calvarial preosteoblasts (MC3T3-E1), the cells exhibited the good behaviors of adhesion and growth on the PCL/Si-HA film. Compared to the PCL/HA films, incorporation of Si-HA nanoparticles in PCL/Si-HA films showed the increased production of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and calcium content by MC3T3-E1 cells. These results suggested the suitability of the PCL/Si-HA composite film to elicit cellular growth and functional differentiation with the potential for bone tissue engineering applications.