Modified-Hydroxyapatite-Chitosan Hybrid Composite Interfacial Coating on 3D Polymeric Scaffolds for Bone Tissue...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Engineering
• Tissue Engineering
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Traditional 3D scaffolds suffer from low porosity, poor mechanical strength, and limited cell-bioactive drug interaction.
• Bisphosphonates stimulate osteogenesis but face challenges in administration, bioavailability, and site-specificity.
• Developing advanced scaffolds is crucial for effective bone regeneration and therapeutic delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a novel 3D scaffold with enhanced cell-bioactive drug contact and improved osteogenic potential.
• To overcome the limitations of conventional scaffolds and bisphosphonate drug delivery methods.
• To create a biomimetic environment that stimulates cell proliferation and differentiation for bone repair.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of 3D polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds coated with alendronate-modified hydroxyapatite (MALD) within a chitosan matrix.
• Characterization of scaffold structure and composition using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
• In vitro assessment of cell adhesion, proliferation, osteogenic differentiation, and mechanical strength of the developed scaffolds.

Main Results:

• The MALD composite demonstrated a controlled release of alendronate (ALD) with 86.28 ± 0.22% release.
• XPS and SEM confirmed successful particle deposition of chitosan over the scaffold interface.
• Scaffolds significantly enhanced cell adhesion, proliferation, and osteocyte differentiation over one week with a mechanical strength of 3.03 ± 0.2 kPa, showing no in vitro toxicity.

Conclusions:

• The novel MALD-coated PCL scaffold effectively mimics the native cellular environment, promoting enhanced cell-material interactions.
• This scaffold architecture facilitates direct cell access to the bioactive surface, improving osteogenesis.
• The developed scaffold presents a promising platform for bone tissue engineering and localized bisphosphonate delivery, addressing key limitations in current therapies.