Inclusion of Magnesium- and Strontium-Enriched Bioactive Glass into Electrospun PCL Scaffolds for Tissue Regeneration

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Bioactive glasses (BG) possess osteogenic, osteoinductive, antimicrobial, and angiogenic properties, making them suitable for bone regeneration.
• Electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) mats are widely used for fabricating scaffolds, but often lack inherent bioactivity.
• Incorporating BG into PCL nanofibers presents challenges in achieving uniform dispersion and maintaining material integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize composite electrospun scaffolds integrating two types of bioactive glass (BG) into a poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) matrix.
• To evaluate the effect of BG incorporation on the structural, mechanical, and biological properties of the PCL scaffolds.
• To assess the potential of these composite scaffolds for tissue regeneration applications.

Main Methods:

• Melt-quench-derived bioactive glass (BG) powders (45S5 and a modified 45S5_MS composition) were incorporated into PCL solutions at 10 wt.% and 20 wt.%.
• A grinding process was employed for effective BG dispersion within the PCL solution prior to electrospinning.
• Resulting composite mats were characterized for fiber morphology, mechanical properties, and in vitro biological performance, including cell differentiation and proliferation.

Main Results:

• Composite electrospun mats with fiber diameters ranging from 500 nm to 2 µm were successfully fabricated.
• The inclusion of BG powders did not negatively impact the mechanical properties of the PCL scaffolds.
• BG powders were effectively dispersed within the fibrous structure, preserving their inherent bioactivity and potentially enhancing biological performance.

Conclusions:

• Composite electrospun scaffolds integrating bioactive glass powders into a PCL matrix can be successfully fabricated.
• These BG/PCL composite scaffolds demonstrate promising potential for tissue regeneration applications due to enhanced cellular responses.
• The developed scaffolds offer a viable platform for advancing bone tissue engineering strategies.