Cerium oxide nanoparticles disseminated chitosan gelatin scaffold for bone tissue engineering applications

Cell-free and cell-loaded constructs are used to bridge the critical-sized bone defect. Oxidative stress at the site of the bone defects is a major interference that slows bone healing. Recently, there has been an increase in interest in enhancing the properties of three-dimensional scaffolds with free radical scavenging materials. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNPs) can scavenge free radicals due to their redox-modulating property. In this study, freeze-drying was used to fabricate CG-CNPs nanocomposite scaffolds using gelatin (G), chitosan (C), and cerium oxide nanoparticles. Physico-chemical, mechanical, and biological characterization of CG-CNPs scaffolds were studied. CG-CNPs scaffolds demonstrated better results in terms of physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties as compared to CG-scaffold. CG-CNPs scaffolds were cyto-friendly to MC3T3-E1 cells studied by performing in-vitro and in-ovo studies. The scaffold's antimicrobial study revealed high inhibition zones against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. With 79 % porosity, 45.99 % weight loss, 178.25 kPa compressive modulus, and 1.83 Ca/P ratio, the CG-CNP₂ scaffold displays the best characteristics. As a result, the CG-CNP₂ scaffolds are highly biocompatible and could be applied to repair bone defects.