Bioabsorbable cellulose composites prepared by an improved mineral-binding process for bone defect repair

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Biotechnology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Bacterial cellulose (BC) biomineralization in simulated body fluids (SBF) is complex.
• Existing methods for preparing BC/calcium phosphate (CP) composites are often tedious.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simplified, efficient method for preparing bioabsorbable bacterial cellulose/calcium phosphate (BC/CPs) composites.
• To evaluate the material properties, bioabsorption, and biocompatibility of the novel composites.

Main Methods:

• Dispersing hydroxyapatite (HA) nanopowder in a saturated (1.0×) SBF solution for BC immersion.
• Incorporating cellulase enzymes into the BC/CPs composites.
• Assessing in vitro biodegradation and cell culture with mouse osteoblasts.

Main Results:

• The simplified approach enhanced CP binding to BC composites compared to oversaturated SBF (1.5×).
• Enzyme incorporation verified BC bioabsorption, yielding 96% glucose release via in vitro biodegradation.
• BC/CPs composites exhibited good biocompatibility with mouse osteoblasts.

Conclusions:

• A simplified, effective method for preparing bioabsorbable BC/CPs composites was established.
• These composites demonstrate excellent bioabsorption and biocompatibility.
• The developed BC/CPs composites show potential as bioabsorbable carriers for bone defect repair.