Highly Structured 3D Electrospun Conical Scaffold: A Tool for Dental Pulp Regeneration

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Dental Research

Background:

• Pulpectomy necessitates advanced dental pulp regeneration strategies.
• Cell homing, involving endogenous stem cell recruitment, is a promising cell-free approach.
• Effective scaffolds are crucial for guiding stem cell migration into the root canal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate a composite scaffold mimicking the extracellular matrix for dental pulp regeneration.
• To evaluate the scaffold's potential for supporting endogenous stem cell migration and viability.
• To assess the impact of gelatin coating on scaffold biocompatibility.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a composite membrane using electrospun poly(lactic acid) nanofibers and electrosprayed polycaprolactone with tannic acid (TA) microparticles.
• Construction of a 3D conical scaffold from the membrane and subsequent gelatin coating.
• Characterization of scaffold morphology using SEM and assessment of TA release kinetics.
• Evaluation of human dental pulp stem cell (DPSC) behavior on planar and conical scaffolds.

Main Results:

• The 3D conical scaffold exhibited a porous morphology suitable for cell migration.
• Tannic acid was released from the scaffold over 2 days in PBS at 37 °C.
• Gelatin coating significantly enhanced DPSC biocompatibility and cell viability on planar membranes.
• DPSCs successfully colonized the entire volume of the conical scaffold, demonstrating suitability for cell migration.

Conclusions:

• The developed composite 3D conical scaffold shows significant potential for dental pulp regeneration via a cell-free, cell homing strategy.
• Gelatin coating improves scaffold biocompatibility, crucial for initial cell interaction.
• The scaffold's architecture effectively promotes stem cell migration and colonization within the root canal space.