壳聚糖/纳米羟基磷灰石分层复合支架的生物相容性研究

制备壳聚糖/纳米羟基磷灰石(CS/nHA)分层复合支架,对其进行细胞毒性评价.分离培养大鼠软骨细胞接种于支架,相差显微镜和扫描电镜观察细胞的黏附及生长情况.动物皮下埋植试验观察其组织相容性.实验结果证实壳聚糖/纳米羟基磷灰石分层复合支架具有良好的生物相容性,有望成为较好的骨软骨组织工程支架.     

气管软骨细胞和羧乙基壳聚糖-羟基磷灰石泡沫支架复合及裸鼠皮下植入

目的 探讨以兔气管软骨细胞为种子细胞在自制羧乙基壳聚糖-羟基磷灰石泡沫(NCECS-HA)支架合成组织工程气管软骨的可行性.方法 通过真空冷冻干燥法制得NCECS-HA泡沫支架.从6个月大的大耳白兔取气管软骨片段,Ⅱ型胶原酶消化,将所获得第3代软骨细胞种植于NCECS-HA三维支架上.细胞-支架复合物在24孔板中培养5 d以后,将其植入裸鼠皮下8周.然后取出分别进行HE染色、Ⅱ型胶原免疫组化染色和甲苯胺蓝染色,观察软骨细胞基质分泌情况.结果 8周后,构建出组织工程气管软骨示光泽良好,甲苯胺蓝染色、Ⅱ型胶原免疫组化染色显示细胞-支架复合物中的软骨细胞可以像天然软骨一样分泌糖氨多糖和Ⅱ型胶原.结论 生物材料NCECS-HA对于兔软骨细胞有良好的生物相容性,可作为生物组织工程支架.     

纳米羟基磷灰石/聚磷酸钙纤维/聚乳酸骨组织工程复合支架的特性*

背景：近年来国内外在骨与软骨组织支架复合材料方面进行了广泛的研究,取得了积极的成果,但仍存在许多问题。 目的：观察纳米羟基磷灰石/聚磷酸钙纤维/聚乳酸(HAP/CPP/PLLA)骨组织工程支架复合材料的特性。 方法：采用溶媒浇铸、粒子滤取技术与气体发泡相结合的方法制备出纳米HAP/CPP/PLLA骨组织工程支架复合材料,测试该支架复合材料的物理力学性能,并用扫描电子显微镜对其微观结构进行观察。 结果与结论：结果表明,纳米HAP/CPP/PLLA支架复合材料具有三维、连通、微孔网状结构,并具有较高的孔隙率和较好的压缩模量,是理想的骨组织工程支架材料。     

丝素/壳聚糖/纳米羟基磷灰石构建的骨组织工程支架

背景：丝素蛋白、壳聚糖及纳米羟基磷灰石均是天然材料,具有良好的生物活性和理化特性,作为人体组织工程材料已取得了一定的成果,但3种材料在单独应用的研究中还存在一定的缺陷。 目的：制作丝素蛋白/壳聚糖/纳米羟基磷灰石三维支架材料,分析其特性。 方法：将丝素蛋白、壳聚糖、纳米羟基磷灰石分别配制成2%的溶液后,分别按照 1∶1∶0.5,1∶1∶1, 1∶1∶1.5 的体积比混合,采用冷冻干燥与化学交联技术制备成三维复合支架材料。检测三维复合支架的孔隙率、吸水膨胀率及热水溶失率,采用材料力学测验机测试干燥三维复合支架材料的拉伸和压缩弹性模量,采用扫描电镜检测三维复合支架的孔径。 结果与结论：丝素蛋白/壳聚糖/纳米羟基磷灰石三维复合支架在干燥状态下呈白色,无特殊气味,为稳定固态的圆柱体,触之有明显的抗压能力和弹性。随着复合支架材料中纳米羟基磷灰石含量的增高,支架材料的孔隙率、吸水膨胀率、平均孔径呈逐渐减小趋势,热水溶失率及抗压能力表现出相反的趋势,结果显示以1∶1∶1体积比制作的支架更符合骨替代材料要求,其平均孔径为85.67 µm、吸水膨胀率的为(135.65±4.56)%、热水溶失率为(22.84±1.06)%,支架材料内部孔隙均匀,呈现网状结构,孔隙之间交通发达,网状结构本身约10 µm。     

3D打印聚乳酸-纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖/多西环素抗菌支架的性能

背景:聚乳酸具有良好的生物相容性和生物降解性,成为一种新型的骨科固定材料,然而该材料缺乏细胞识别信号,不利于细胞黏附和成骨分化,限制了其在生物材料中的应用。目的:3D打印聚乳酸-纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖支架,评估其药物缓释及生物性能。方法:采用熔融沉积技术打印孔隙交互的多孔聚乳酸支架(记为PLA支架),将该支架浸泡于多巴胺溶液中制备聚乳酸-多巴胺支架(记为PLA-DA支架);将纳米羟基磷灰石投入壳聚糖溶液中,然后将PLA-DA支架浸没其中,制备聚乳酸-纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖支架(记为PLA-nHA/CS支架),表征3组支架的微观形貌、孔隙率、水接触角与压缩强度。采用冷冻干燥法制备负载药物多西环素的PLA-nHA/CS支架(记为PLA-nHA/CS-DOX支架),表征其药物释放。将PLA、PLA-DA、PLA-nHA/CS、PLA-nHA/CS-DOX支架分别与MC3T3-E1细胞共培养,检测细胞增殖与成骨分化能力;将不同浓度的金黄色葡萄球菌悬液分别与4组支架共培养,采用抑菌圈实验检测支架的抗菌性能。结果与结论:①扫描电镜下可见PLA、PLA-DA支架表面致密光滑,PLA-nHA/CS支架表面可见纳米羟基磷灰石颗粒;PLA、PLA-DA、PLA-nHA/CS支架的孔隙率逐渐降低,压缩强度逐渐升高,PLA-nHA/CS支架的弹性模量满足松质骨要求;PLA-DA、PLA-nHA/CS支架的水接触角小于PLA支架;PLA-nHA/CS支架体外可持续释放药物达8 d。②CCK-8检测显示,4组支架均未显著影响MC3T3-E1细胞的增殖;PLA-DA组、PLAnHA/CS组、PLA-nHA/CS-DOX组细胞碱性磷酸酶活性均高于PLA组;茜素红染色显示,与PLA组相比,PLA-nHA/CS组、PLA-nHA/CS-DOX组细胞表现出较高的矿化水平。③抑菌圈实验显示PLA、PLA-DA支架无抗菌性能,PLA-nHA/CS支架具有一定的抗菌性能,PLA-nHA/CS-DOX支架具有超强的抗菌性能。④结果表明,PLA-nHA/CS-DOX支架具有良好的药物缓释性能、细胞相容性、促成骨性能及抗菌性能。     

复合壳聚糖纳米微球聚乳酸-羟基乙酸/纳米羟基磷灰石缓释载体系统对蛋白的缓释作用

背景：聚乳酸-羟基乙酸支架材料具有良好的生物相容性、无毒、可以良好的塑性,并具有一定的强度和韧性。但其降解产物为酸性,会影响局部pH值变化,不利组织生长。 目的：制备能够良好缓释蛋白类药物的复合支架。 方法：以牛血清蛋白为模型药物,以离子凝胶法制备壳聚糖微球。将微球与纳米羟基磷灰石和聚乳酸-羟基乙酸按一定比例混合,以冰粒子为致孔剂,采用粒子沥虑-冷冻干燥复合工艺制备CMs/nHA/PLGA复合缓释支架。利用扫描电镜、透射电镜、压泵仪和力学性能测试仪检测复合支架的形态和性能,并考察其在体外对蛋白类药物释放的规律。 结果与结论：制备的壳聚糖纳米微球形态良好,呈规则球形或类球形,粒径分布在220~770 nm,以380~650 nm为多。微球对药物的载药量为39.2%,包封率为68.3%,两者均与牛血清蛋白的初始量相关,载药量随牛血清蛋白初始量的增加而增加,包封率则反之。复合支架呈白色多孔状,孔径为125~355 mm,孔与孔之间联通良好,孔隙率达83.4%,压缩强度为1.4~ 2.1 MPa,10周降解率为28.6%。PLGA/nHA支架对牛血清蛋白的2 d累积释放量为85%,而壳聚糖和CMs/nHA/PLGA复合支架对牛血清蛋白的9 d累积释放量分别是为48.9%和35.7%。提示制作的壳聚糖纳米微球和CMs/nHA/PLGA支架材料对牛血清蛋白有良好的缓释作用,复合支架材料形态好,强度和降解速率合适。     

胶原-纳米羟基磷灰石复合支架的细胞相容性

背景：观察成骨细胞在生物材料上的形态、增殖和分化等项目,可评估生物支架材料的生物相容性。 目的：观察复合支架材料纳米羟基磷灰石/胶原对成骨细胞增殖、分化的影响。 方法：取新生24 h内Wistar大鼠的颅盖骨,采用改良胶原酶消化法进行成骨细胞原代培养,取第3代细胞与纳米羟基磷灰石/胶原支架或普通羟基磷灰石材料体外复合培养。培养3,6,9 d后,观察材料周边的细胞形态及支架材料对细胞分化、增殖的影响。 结果与结论：纳米羟基磷灰石/胶原材料较普通的羟基磷灰石材料更有利于成骨细胞的黏附、生长、分化、增殖,证实其生物相容性更好,有望成为一种新型的骨组织工程支架材料。     

负载木通皂苷D的纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖支架修复骨缺损

背景:木通皂苷D具有促进成骨细胞的增殖与分化、提高成骨细胞活性与数量、促进基质钙化与骨痂生长等诸多作用,主要被用于治疗骨质疏松与促进骨折愈合,将其应用于骨缺损修复的研究较少见。目的:以纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖支架为载体,将包裹木通皂苷D的缓释微球负载于其中,观察其骨缺损修复作用。方法:采用W/O/W方法制作包裹木通皂苷D的缓释微球,采用冷冻干燥方法制备负载包裹木通皂苷D缓释微球的纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖支架(以下简称缓释支架)与单纯的纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖支架(以下简称空白支架),检测缓释微球与缓释支架的体外释药能力。将小鼠来源前成骨细胞MC3T3-E1分别接种于两种支架上,以单独培养的细胞为对照,分析细胞的黏附、增殖与分化情况。在24只成年新西兰大白兔双侧桡骨中段制造1.5 cm的骨缺损,分别植入空白支架与缓释支架,术后4,12周时进行大体观察、Micro-CT扫描影像学检查及组织学观察。结果与结论:(1)包裹木通皂苷D的缓释微球与缓释支架均具有缓释作用,其中缓释支架的药物释放速率更加平稳、持久;(2)CCK-8实验显示,缓释支架上的细胞增殖速率快于空白支架、对照组(P <0.05...     

生物活性玻璃/壳聚糖/羟基磷灰石复合骨修复材料制备及细胞相容性研究

目的设计一种生物活性玻璃/壳聚糖/羟基磷灰石(BG/HA/CS)复合材料的骨组织工程支架,并对其理化性能和细胞相容性进行检测。方法不同比例的BG/HA/CS混合液用冷冻干燥法制备成支架。通过计算支架孔隙率;扫描电镜、X线衍射和傅立叶红外光谱分析其微观形貌和组成;采用材料试验机进行支架的机械性能检测,并评价生物活性玻璃的加入对支架的影响。将第3代兔骨髓间充质干细胞接种于支架上,使用扫描电镜检测支架对其粘附作用,采用MTT法检测细胞在支架上增殖,并评价生物活性玻璃的加入对支架的细胞相容性影响。结果合成的BG/CS/HA支架与模具拥有同样的大小及几何形状,具有相互贯通的多孔结构,未见生物活性玻璃聚集,孔隙率最高可达86.96%,孔径大小合适(100~300um),最大压缩强度为(1.95±0.13)Mpa。X射线衍射图可以看到特征性的BG衍射峰;傅立叶变换红外光谱可见特征的BG吸收峰,这表明材料内有明确的BG;第3代兔骨髓间充质干细胞在支架上共培养1天后,细胞在支架表面粘附。部分细胞伸展,并伸出伪足。共培养5天后,可见细胞数目增多,团聚,细胞表面可见微绒毛,细胞已开始向材料内部迁移。采用MTT法测量骨髓间充质干细胞在支架上的增殖情况可以看出骨髓间充质干细胞在BG/CS/HA支架上表现出了明显的增殖。结论采用溶液共混、冷冻干燥法可以制备出BG/CS/HA支架;支架具有良好的孔隙率,较好的机械强度,良好的组织相容性,可用于骨组织工程。     

纳米羟基磷灰石/胶原/聚乳酸支架材料对人成骨细胞早期附着影响的实验研究

目的以人成骨细胞（MG-63细胞）复合纳米羟基磷灰石／胶原／聚乳酸[nano-hydroxyapatite/collagen/poly（L-lactic）acid，nHAC／PLA]支架材料进行体外培养，观察其早期附着生长情况。方法将MG-63细胞在nHAC／PLA支架材料上培养，通过倒置显微镜观察、HE染色、ALP染色、细胞增殖指数测定等方法对细胞在nHAC／PLA支架材料上的早期附着情况进行研究。结果细胞在nHAC／PLA上生长良好；ALP染色阳性度高，细胞增殖指数比空白对照组有显著提高。结论nHAC／PLA支架有利于MG-63细胞的早期黏附、生长，可以用作骨组织工程的支架材料。     

Preparation and characterization of nano-hydroxyapatite/chitosan composite scaffolds

A novel nano-hydroxyapatite (HA)/chitosan composite scaffold with high porosity was developed. The nano-HA particles were made in situ through a chemical method and dispersed well on the porous scaffold. They bound to the chitosan scaffolds very well. This method prevents the migration of nano-HA particles into surrounding tissues to a certain extent. The morphologies, components, and biocompatibility of the composite scaffolds were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy, porosity measurement, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy were used to analyze the physical and chemical properties of the composite scaffolds. The biocompatibility was assessed by examining the proliferation and morphology of MC 3T3-E1 cells seeded on the scaffolds. The composite scaffolds showed better biocompatibility than pure chitosan scaffolds. The results suggest that the newly developed nano-HA/chitosan composite scaffolds may serve as a good three-dimensional substrate for cell attachment and migration in bone tissue engineering.     

羧乙基壳聚糖-纳米羟基磷灰石复合材料细胞相容性和生物力学性能的实验研究

制备羧乙基壳聚糖-纳米羟基磷灰石(NCECS/nHA)复合材料,研究其生物力学性能以及与气管软骨细胞的生物相容性。方法 气管软骨片段取自8周龄大耳白兔,Ⅱ型胶原酶消化,将所获得软骨细胞传代培养。将体外制备的NCECS/nHA复合材料分别进行干态标本和湿态标本的生物力学检测。将第3代软骨细胞种植到NCECS/nHA复合材料,分别计算材料表面软骨细胞在2h、6h、12h细胞贴壁率,并用噻唑蓝(MTT)法测定细胞增殖活性。结果 NCECS/nHA复合材料具有良好的生物力学性能。兔气管软骨细胞在NCECS/nHA复合材料表面上12h的贴壁率达(88.4±2.1)％,与其他组差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05)。同时MTT显示气管软骨细胞在NCECS/nHA复合材料表面生长状态良好。扫描电镜结果显示软骨细胞在NCECS/nHA薄膜上增殖和分化良好。结论 NCECS/nHA复合材料具备良好的细胞相容性和适宜的生物力学强度,作为一种具有开发潜力的生物材料,可用于组织工程气管的体外构建。     

Biocompatibility and osteogenesis of biomimetic nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

In this study, we prepared nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide (n-HA/PA) composite scaffolds utilizing thermally induced phase inversion processing technique. The macrostructure and morphology as well as mechanical strength of the scaffolds were characterized. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from bone marrow of neonatal rabbits were cultured, expanded and seeded on n-HA/PA scaffolds. The MSC/scaffold constructs were cultured for up to 7 days and the adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of MSCs into osteoblastic phenotype were determined using MTT assay, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and collagen type I (COL I) immunohistochemical staining and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The results confirm that n-HA/PA scaffolds are biocompatible and have no negative effects on the MSCs in vitro. To investigate the in vivo biocompatibility and osteogenesis of the composite scaffolds, both pure n-HA/PA scaffolds and MSC/scaffold constructs were implanted in rabbit mandibles and studied histologically and microradiographically. The results show that n-HA/PA composite scaffolds exhibit good biocompatibility and extensive osteoconductivity with host bone. Moreover, the introduction of MSCs to the scaffolds dramatically enhanced the efficiency of new bone formation, especially at the initial stage after implantation. In long term (more than 12 weeks implantation), however, the pure scaffolds show as good biocompatibility and osteogenesis as the hybrid ones. All these results indicate that the scaffolds fulfill the basic requirements of bone tissue engineering scaffold, and have the potential to be applied in orthopedic, reconstructive and maxillofacial surgery.     

聚左旋乳酸/壳聚糖电纺丝纳米纤维支架与兔内皮祖细胞的生物相容性

背景：电纺丝技术能够使许多高分子材料制备出与细胞外基质相似的三维纳米纤维支架。聚乳酸/壳聚糖纳米纤维复合支架材料能够克服材料的不足,提高组织工程支架生物相容性。 目的：评价聚左旋乳酸/壳聚糖电纺丝纳米纤维支架与兔内皮祖细胞的生物相容性。 方法：电纺丝技术制备聚左旋乳酸,壳聚糖,聚左旋乳酸/壳聚糖的纳米纤维支架,扫描电镜观察其形貌结构。纳米纤维支架与内皮祖细胞进行复合培养后,观察细胞在不同材料上的黏附率、一氧化氮分泌,生长特征和在聚左旋乳酸/壳聚糖纳米纤维支架上的细胞表型特征。 结果与结论：聚左旋乳酸/壳聚糖纳米纤维支架比聚左旋乳酸、壳聚糖具有更合适的纤维直径,具有与细胞外基质相似的纳米纤维三维多孔结构。聚左旋乳酸/壳聚糖纳米纤维支架能够促进内皮祖细胞黏附率和细胞的一氧化氮分泌(P < 0.05,P < 0.01)。内皮祖细胞能够在聚左旋乳酸/壳聚糖复合材料膜上融合成片,保持了细胞的完整形态和分化功能,显示了内皮细胞特异性的vWF表型。提示聚左旋乳酸/壳聚糖电纺丝纳米纤维支架与兔内皮祖细胞具有良好的生物相容性。     

3D打印成型纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖/聚己内酯三元复合支架材料的构建及表征

文题释义： 组织工程骨：将体外培养的功能相关的种子细胞种植于天然的或人工合成的支架材料内,加入生长因子体外培养一段时间,将他们移植到体内,促进组织修复和骨再生的人工骨。组织工程骨形成的3要素为：支架材料、成骨细胞、生长因子。 生物陶瓷：生物表面活性陶瓷通常含有羟基,还可做成多孔性,生物组织可长入并同其表面发生牢固的键合;生物吸收性陶瓷的特点是能部分吸收或者全部吸收,在生物体内能诱发新生骨的生长。生物活性陶瓷具有骨传导性,它作为一个支架,成骨在其表面进行;还可作为多种物质的外壳或填充骨缺损。生物陶瓷有羟基磷灰石陶瓷、磷酸三钙陶瓷等。  背景：目前常用的骨缺损修复支架材料种类较多,但单一类型材料难以满足骨组织工程支架材料的要求,通过合适的方法将几种单一材料组合形成复合型材料,综合考虑各种材料优缺点,是近年来学者们的研究重点。 目的：构建纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖/聚己内酯三元复合支架材料,并作表征分析研究。 方法：采用3D打印成型技术制备纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖/聚己内酯多孔三元复合支架材料,从X射线衍射分析、吸水率、抗压强度、体外降解性能、孔径分析、扫描电镜分析等多个维度对支架材料进行表征研究。 结果与结论：①X射线衍射分析显示,纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖/聚己内酯多孔三元复合支架的晶型峰图与羟基磷灰石粉末衍射标准卡片类似,表明该三元复合支架是通过物理作用相互结合的,不影响羟基磷灰石的生物学功能;②三元复合支架的吸水率为18.28%,亲水性好,支架可承受的最大压力为1 415 N,其体外降解速率与成骨速率相当;③显微镜下可见三元复合支架的内孔为方形,孔径250 µm,孔径大小均匀、分布有致;④扫描电镜下三元复合支架可见,壳聚糖和聚己内酯组成的纤维排列整齐有序,成网格状, 羟基磷灰石呈颗粒状在纤维表面均匀分布,三元复合材料呈现均匀、疏松的微孔结构;⑤结果表明,通过3D打印成型技术可成功制备纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖/聚己内酯三元复合支架材料,其具有适度的抗压强度、一定的孔隙率、适宜的降解速度和吸水率,能为修复骨缺损的奠定基础。 ORCID: 0000-0002-6321-9160(余和东) 中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：生物材料;骨生物材料; 口腔生物材料; 纳米材料; 缓释材料; 材料相容性;组织工程       

Mechanical and structural characterisation of completely degradable polylactic acid/calcium phosphate glass scaffolds

This study involves the mechanical and structural characterisation of completely degradable scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. The scaffolds are a composite of polylactic acid (PLA) and a soluble calcium phosphate glass, and are thus completely degradable. A factorial experimental design was applied to optimise scaffold composition prior to simultaneous microtomography and micromechanical testing. Synchrotron X-ray microtomography combined with in situ micromechanical testing was performed to obtain three-dimensional (3D) images of the scaffolds under compression. The 3D reconstruction was converted into a finite element mesh which was validated by simulating a compression test and comparing it with experimental results. The experimental design reveals that larger glass particle and pore sizes reduce the stiffness of the scaffolds, and that the porosity is largely unaffected by changes in pore sizes or glass weight content. The porosity ranges between 93% and 96.5%, and the stiffness ranges between 50 and 200 kPa. X-ray projections show a homogeneous distribution of the glass particles within the PLA matrix, and illustrate pore-wall breakage under strain. The 3D reconstructions are used qualitatively to visualise the distribution of the phases of the composite material, and to follow pore deformation under compression. Quantitatively, scaffold porosity, pore interconnectivity and surface/volume ratios have been calculated. Finite element analysis revealed the stress and strain distribution in the scaffold under compression, and could be used in the future to characterise the mechanical properties of the scaffolds.     

Proliferation of chondrocytes on porous poly(DL-lactide)/chitosan scaffolds

Porous poly(DL-lactide)(PDLLA)/chitosan scaffolds with well-controlled pore structures and desirable mechanical characteristics were fabricated via a combination of solvent extraction, phase separation and freeze-drying. These scaffolds were further evaluated for the proliferation of isolated rabbit chondrocytes in vitro for various incubation periods up to 4 weeks in order to finally use them for the cartilage tissue engineering. MTT assay data revealed that the number of cells grown on PDLLA/chitosan scaffolds measurably increased with the weight ratio of the chitosan component and was significantly higher than those collected from pure PDLLA scaffolds for the entire incubation period. Scanning electron microscopy examinations, histological observations and proteoglycan measurements indicated that the resulting PDLLA/chitosan scaffolds exhibited increasing ability to promote the attachment and proliferation of chondrocytes, and also helped seeded chondrocytes spread through the scaffolds and distribute homogeneously inside compared to pure PDLLA scaffolds. Immunohistochemical staining verified that these PDLLA/chitosan scaffolds could preserve the phenotype of chondrocyte and effectively support the production of type II collagen.     

Preparation and characterization of nano-hydroxyapatite/silk fibroin porous scaffolds

Novel tissue engineering scaffold materials of nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA)/silk fibroin (SF) biocomposite were prepared by freeze-drying. The needle-like nHA crystals of about 10 nm in diameter by 50–80 nm in length, which were uniformly distributed in the porous nHA/SF scaffolds, were prepared by a co-precipitation method with a size. The as-prepared nHA/SF scaffolds showed good homogeneity, interconnected pores and high porosity. XRD and FT-IR analysis suggested that the silk fibroin was in β-sheet structure, which usually provides outstanding mechanical properties for silk materials. In this work, composite scaffolds containing as high as 70% (w/w) nHA were prepared, which had excellent compressive modulus and strength, higher than the scaffolds at low nHA content level and other porous biodegradable polymeric scaffolds often considered in bone-related tissue engineering reported previously. The cell compatibility of composite scaffolds was evaluated through cell viability by MTT assay. All these results indicated that these nHA/SF scaffold materials may be a promising biomaterial for bone tissue engineering.     

Preparation and characterization of nano-hydroxyapatite/silk fibroin porous scaffolds

Novel tissue engineering scaffold materials of nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA)/silk fibroin (SF) biocomposite were prepared by freeze-drying. The needle-like nHA crystals of about 10 nm in diameter by 50-80 nm in length, which were uniformly distributed in the porous nHA/SF scaffolds, were prepared by a co-precipitation method with a size. The as-prepared nHA/SF scaffolds showed good homogeneity, interconnected pores and high porosity. XRD and FT-IR analysis suggested that the silk fibroin was in beta-sheet structure, which usually provides outstanding mechanical properties for silk materials. In this work, composite scaffolds containing as high as 70% (w/w) nHA were prepared, which had excellent compressive modulus and strength, higher than the scaffolds at low nHA content level and other porous biodegradable polymeric scaffolds often considered in bone-related tissue engineering reported previously. The cell compatibility of composite scaffolds was evaluated through cell viability by MTT assay. All these results indicated that these nHA/SF scaffold materials may be a promising biomaterial for bone tissue engineering.