Boron-doped silica/chitosan-based elastic three-dimensional sponge scaffold for bone regeneration

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Bone regeneration is vital for healing bone defects and restoring function.
• Porous sponge scaffolds are effective biomaterials for bone tissue repair.
• Developing adaptable scaffolds for irregular defects remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate flexible 3D sponge scaffolds using chitosan and silica nanofibers containing boron ions.
• To evaluate the bone regeneration potential of these scaffolds in vitro and in vivo.
• To investigate the synergistic effects of boron and silicon ion release on bone healing.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of silica (SiO2) nanofiber membranes with varying boron ion (B3+) concentrations via electrospinning.
• Combination of SiO2 fibers with chitosan (CS) to create 3D sponge scaffolds.
• In vitro assays assessing cell proliferation, migration, and gene expression (angiogenesis, osteogenesis).
• In vivo study using a rat cranial defect model to evaluate de novo bone formation.

Main Results:

• The fabricated CS/SiO2-B1 scaffolds demonstrated remarkable elastic memory, conforming to irregular defects.
• In vitro studies showed synergistic release of boron and silicon ions, promoting cell proliferation and migration.
• CS/SiO2-B1 scaffolds significantly upregulated angiogenesis- and osteogenesis-related genes.
• In vivo implantation in a rat cranial defect model resulted in promoted de novo bone production within 6 weeks.

Conclusions:

• Flexible 3D chitosan/silica-boron sponge scaffolds are effective for bone tissue engineering.
• The scaffolds' ability to release ions and promote cellular activity facilitates bone regeneration.
• These findings suggest broad applications in bone repair and other biomedical fields.