Homogeneous Chitosan/Poly(L-Lactide) Composite Scaffolds Prepared by Emulsion Freeze-Drying

The combination between chitosan (CS)-based hydrophilic extracellular matrix polysaccharide and polylactide (PLA)-based hydrophobic biodegradable aliphatic polyester is a challenge in the biomaterials field. This study investigated the formation of homogeneous chitosan/poly(L-lactide) (CS/PLLA) porous composite scaffold using a novel emulsion freeze-drying technique. An oil-in-water (O/W) emulsification system was used in the presence of surfactant Tween-80, in which CS solution was used as the water phase and PLLA solution was used as the oil phase. The composite scaffolds showed well interconnected pore structures and homogenous distribution of CS and PLLA when the PLLA volume fraction was not higher than 50%. Once the PLLA content increased to 75%, SEM micrographs demonstrated that the two components present phase separation region. FT-IR analysis revealed that there are strong hydrogen bond interactions between CS and PLLA components. The porosity of the CS/PLLA composites was in the range of 85–90% and showed a slight decrease with increasing PLLA dose. The mechanical properties of the composites lay between that of the pure CS and the PLLA scaffold. The compressive strength increased from 0.17 to 0.21 MPa, while the compressive modulus increased from 2.37 to 3.38 MPa as the PLLA contents increased from 25 to 75%. In vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT assay. The results indicated that MC3T3-E1 cell viability and proliferation in the CS/PLLA scaffold were comparable to that in the CS scaffold, and much higher than that in the PLLA scaffold. The successful hydrophilic polysaccharide and hydrophobic polyester system offers a new delivery method of growth factors and a novel scaffold design for tissue engineering.     

The in situ synthesis of biphasic calcium phosphate scaffolds with controllable compositions, structures, and adjustable properties

In this study, biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) porous scaffolds with controllable phase compositions, controllable macropore percentages, and thus adjustable properties were in situ prepared by sintering a series of composites consisted of calcium phosphate cement (CPC) and porous resin negative mold made from rapid prototyping (RP) technique. The CPC pastes were formed by mixing a powder mixture of tetracalcium phosphate and anhydrous dicalcium phosphate with liquid phase of diluted phosphate acid solution. Results show that the phase composition was easily adjustable by controlling both weight ratio of the powder mixture to the liquid phase (P/L) and concentration of the liquid phase. The macropore structure of the BCP scaffold can be regulated by using different RP negative molds. Through in vitro compressive strength (CS) and immersion tests, it was demonstrated that both macropore percentage and phase composition played important roles in the CS and also the dissolving rates of the scaffolds. As the macropore percentage of the scaffold increased, its CS decreased but the dissolving rate increased; also, as the weight ratio of hydroxyapatite to tricalcium (HA/TCP) in the scaffold increased, the CS first increased and then decreased but the dissolving rate uniformly decreased. The CS values of the BCP scaffolds with a HA/TCP weight ratio of 59:41 were 5.84 +/- 1.16 MPa for a total porosity of approximately 67.67% containing a macropore percentage of 30%, and 3.34 +/- 0.79 MPa for a total porosity of approximately 70.90% containing a macropore percentage of 50%, respectively, comparable to the corresponding levels of human cancellous bone (2-12 MPa).     

Surface modification of bioactive glass nanoparticles and the mechanical and biological properties of poly(L-lactide) composites

Novel bioactive glass (BG) nanoparticles/poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) composites were prepared as promising bone-repairing materials. The BG nanoparticles (Si:P:Ca=29:13:58 weight ratio) of about 40nm diameter were prepared via the sol-gel method. In order to improve the phase compatibility between the polymer and the inorganic phase, PLLA (M(n)=9700Da) was linked to the surface of the BG particles by diisocyanate. The grafting ratio of PLLA was in the vicinity of 20 wt.%. The grafting modification could improve the tensile strength, tensile modulus and impact energy of the composites by increasing the phase compatibility. When the filler loading reached around 4 wt.%, the tensile strength of the composite increased from 56.7 to 69.2MPa for the pure PLLA, and the impact strength energy increased from 15.8 to 18.0 kJ m(-2). The morphology of the tensile fracture surface of the composite showed surface-grafted bioactive glass particles (g-BG) to be dispersed homogeneously in the PLLA matrix. An in vitro bioactivity test showed that, compared to pure PLLA scaffold, the BG/PLLA nanocomposite demonstrated a greater capability to induce the formation of an apatite layer on the scaffold surface. The results of marrow stromal cell culture revealed that the composites containing either BG or g-BG particles have much better biocompatibility compared to pure PLLA material.     

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。     

In vitro bioactivity of bioresorbable porous polymeric scaffolds incorporating hydroxyapatite microspheres

Biomimetic composites consisting of polymer and mineral components, resembling bone in structure and composition, were produced using a rapid prototyping technique for bone tissue engineering applications. Solid freeform fabrication, known as rapid prototyping (RP) technology, allows scaffolds to be designed with pre-defined and controlled external and internal architecture. Using the indirect RP technique, a three-component scaffold with a woodpile structure, consisting of poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA), chitosan and hydroxyapatite (HA) microspheres, was produced that had a macroporosity of more than 50% together with micropores induced by lyophilization. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the preparation and construction of the composite scaffold did not affect the phase composition of the HA. The compressive strength and elastic modulus (E) for the PLLA composites are 0.42 and 1.46 MPa, respectively, which are much higher than those of chitosan/HA composites and resemble the properties of cellular structure. These scaffolds showed excellent biocompatibility and ability for three-dimensional tissue growth of MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblastic cells. The pre-osteoblastic cells cultured on these scaffolds formed a network on the HA microspheres and proliferated not only in the macropore channels but also in the micropores, as seen from the histological analysis and electron microscopy. The proliferating cells formed an extracellular matrix network and also differentiated into mature osteoblasts, as indicated by alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity. The properties of these scaffolds indicate that they can be used for non-load-bearing applications.     

Thermal and mechanical characteristics of poly(L-lactic acid) nanocomposite scaffold

Inorganic nanosized silicate nanoplatelets were incorporated into biodegradable poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) for the purpose of tailoring mechanical stiffness of PLLA porous scaffold systems. Increasing the nucleation density around the foreign body surfaces, the montmorillonite (MMT) nanoplatelets modified with dimethyl dihydrogenated tallow ammonium cations decreased the glass transition temperature and the degree of PLLA crystallinity, which seemingly caused the accelerated biodegradation rate of PLLA nanocomposites due to the enhanced segmental mobility of backbone chains and the expanded amorphous region of PLLA matrix. The tensile modulus was increased from 121.2MPa of pristine polymer scaffold to 170.1MPa of MMT/PLLA nanocomposite scaffold (ca. 40% increment) by the addition of small amount of MMT platelets (5.79 vol%) acting as a mechanical reinforcement of polymer chains in the nanoscale molecular level. Overall, the nanotechnology used in this study may be applied to various scaffold systems of biodegradable polymers and hard/soft scaffold structures requiring critical control and design characteristics of mechanical stiffness and biodegradation rate.     

Fabrication of calcium sulfate/PLLA composite for bone repair

The bone-repairing composite material CS/PLLA was fabricated by mixing poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) and calcium sulfate hemihydrate (CSH). The structure of the composite was analyzed with Infrared spectroscope, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscope. The results indicated that the crystal pattern of calcium sulfate was affected by the addition of PLLA. PLLA part impacted the development of calcium sulfate dihydrate (CSD) crystal by slowing the conversion from CSH to CSD, so the composites are actually composed of CSH, CSD, and PLLA. The absorbing test in vitro showed that CS/PLLA composite absorbed more slowly than pure CS, suggesting the addition of PLLA can adjust the absorption rate of CS to meet different requirements. The pH value changes of the media had similar trends for different composites during the absorbing test of CS/PLLA samples in aqueous medium, which was connected to the absorption of calcium sulfate. The absorption of calcium sulfate in a certain time left a porous PLLA scaffold that will enable cells to further grow in. The surface of CS/PLLA pellets was inoculated with human osteoblasts, and the primary results showed that the osteoblasts could attach and spread on the surface, which will stimulate our desire for further study.     

Fabrication of Nano-fibrous PLLA Scaffold Reinforced with Chitosan Fibers

In this study, a nano-fibrous PLLA scaffold reinforced by micro-scale chitosan fibers was fabricated using thermally-induced phase separation (TIPS). The morphology, porosity, mechanical performance and pH changes in in vitro degradation of the scaffold were also investigated. Results showed that the mechanical properties of the scaffold increased with the amount of chitosan fibers embedded, and the pH in in vitro degradation of the scaffold changed more slowly than that of the pure nano-fibrous PLLA scaffold without chitosan fibers. The new composite scaffold might be a very promising scaffold for tissue engineering.     

Design and characterization of a novel chitosan/nanocrystalline calcium phosphate composite scaffold for bone regeneration

To meet the challenge of regenerating bone lost to disease or trauma, biodegradable scaffolds are being investigated as a way to regenerate bone without the need for an auto- or allograft. Here, we have developed a novel microsphere-based chitosan/nanocrystalline calcium phosphate (CaP) composite scaffold and investigated its potential compared to plain chitosan scaffolds to be used as a bone graft substitute. Composite and chitosan scaffolds were prepared by fusing microspheres of 500-900 microm in diameter, and porosity, degradation, compressive strength, and cell growth were examined. Both scaffolds had porosities of 33-35% and pore sizes between 100 and 800 . However, composite scaffolds were much rougher and, as a result, had 20 times more surface area/unit mass than chitosan scaffolds. The compressive modulus of hydrated composite scaffolds was significantly higher than chitosan scaffolds (9.29 +/- 0.8 MPa vs. 3.26 +/- 2.5 MPa), and composite scaffolds were tougher and more flexible than what has been reported for other chitosan-CaP composites or CaP scaffolds alone. Using X-ray diffraction, scaffolds were shown to contain partially crystalline hydroxyapatite with a crystallinity of 16.7% +/- 6.8% and crystallite size of 128 +/- 55 nm. Fibronection adsorption was increased on composite scaffolds, and cell attachment was higher on composite scaffolds after 30 min, although attachment rates were similar after 1 h. Osteoblast proliferation (based on dsDNA measurements) was significantly increased after 1 week of culture. These studies have demonstrated that composite scaffolds have mechanical properties and porosity sufficient to support ingrowth of new bone tissue, and cell attachment and proliferation data indicate composite scaffolds are promising for bone regeneration.     

Fabrication and characterization of nano-composite scaffold of PLLA/silane modified hydroxyapatite

In order to improve the interfacial connection of hydroxyapatite (HAP) to poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA), γ-methacryloxypropyl-trimethoxysilane (γ-MPS) was used as a coupling agent to modify the surface of nano-HAP (NHAP) particles. The FTIR and XPS results showed γ-MPS was successfully bonded on the surface of NHAP. Silane modified nano-HAP (MNHAP) and PLLA were fabricated to nano-composite scaffold by a thermally induced phase separation method. The characterization of the composite scaffold showed that the scaffold had a nano-fibrous PLLA network (fiber size 100–800 nm), an interconnective microporous structure (1–8 μm) and high porosity (>90%). MNHAP was homogeneously distributed in the scaffold, also partly set in the nano-PLLA fibers. As a result, the compressive modulus and the protein adsorption of PLLA/MNHAP (80:20, w/w) composite scaffold increased to 4.2-fold and 2.8-fold compared with those of a pure PLLA scaffold. Incorporating MNHAP into PLLA network also buffered the pH reduction and reduced the weight loss in vitro degradation significantly.     

Synergistic Stimuli by Hydrodynamic Pressure and Hydrophilic Coating on PLGA Scaffolds for Extracellular Matrix Synthesis of Engineered Cartilage

Abstract

Scaffold surface properties and mechanical stimuli have been known to have a critical influence on cell proliferation and extracellular matrix synthesis in cultured cells for tissue engineering. Hydrophilic surface and hydrodynamic pressure (HP) stimulation have been shown to have a beneficial effect on chondrocyte activity. The aim of this study was, thus, to assess the synergic influences of HP and hydrophilic coating on cell activity using primary porcine chondrocytes inoculated in hydrophilic-coated poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) sponge scaffolds. The natural materials hyaluronic acid (HA), chitosan and HA/chitosan were cross-linked on porous PLGA as a hydrophilic surface modification. HP was applied to scaffolds at an amplitude of 2.24 MPa and a frequency of 0.1 Hz for 30 min per day, twice a week, over a period of 28 days. Cell activities were determined by the MTS assay and the dimethylmethylene blue assay for glycosaminoglycan (GAG) quantification. Our results displayed that PLGA coated with both HA and chitosan had the best hydrophilicity (contact angle 49.46°) and initial compressive modulus (1.10 ± 0.13 MPa) among the tested scaffold groups. Additionally, HP stimulation enhanced cell proliferation as well as GAG production (up to 3-fold in culture medium and 15-fold in scaffolds at 28 days compared to static culture of PLGA alone in the scaffold group) in the hydrophilic-coated scaffold groups. The synergistic benefit from hydrophilic coating and HP stimulation may be imperative in regenerating engineered cartilage in the long-term.     

Preparation and characterization of bionic bone structure chitosan/hydroxyapatite scaffold for bone tissue engineering

Three-dimensional oriented chitosan (CS)/hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds were prepared via in situ precipitation method in this research. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images indicated that the scaffolds with acicular nano-HA had the spoke-like, multilayer and porous structure. The SEM of osteoblasts which were polygonal or spindle-shaped on the composite scaffolds after seven-day cell culture showed that the cells grew, adhered, and spread well. The results of X-ray powder diffractometer and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer showed that the mineral particles deposited in the scaffold had phase structure similar to natural bone and confirmed that particles were exactly HA. In vitro biocompatibility evaluation indicated the composite scaffolds showed a higher degree of proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cell compared with the pure CS scaffolds and the CS/HA10 scaffold was the highest one. The CS/HA scaffold also had a higher ratio of adhesion and alkaline phosphate activity value of osteoblasts compared with the pure CS scaffold, and the ratio increased with the increase of HA content. The ALP activity value of composite scaffolds was at least six times of the pure CS scaffolds. The results suggested that the composite scaffolds possessed good biocompatibility. The compressive strength of CS/HA15 increased by 33.07% compared with the pure CS scaffold. This novel porous scaffold with three-dimensional oriented structure might have a potential application in bone tissue engineering.     

Reinforced nanohydroxyapatite/polyamide66 scaffolds by chitosan coating for bone tissue engineering

High porosity of scaffold is always accompanied by poor mechanical property; the aim of this study was to enhance the strength and modulus of the highly porous scaffold of nanohydroxyapatite/polyamide66 (n-HA/PA66) by coating chitosan (CS) and to investigate the effect of CS content on the scaffold physical properties and cytological properties. The results show that CS coating can reinforce the scaffold effectively. The compress modulus and strength of the CS coated n-HA/PA66 scaffolds are improved to 32.71 and 2.38 MPa, respectively, being about six times and five times of those of the uncoated scaffolds. Meanwhile, the scaffolds still exhibit a highly interconnected porous structure and the porosity is approximate about 78%, slightly lower than the value (84%) of uncoated scaffold. The cytological properties of scaffolds were also studied in vitro by cocultured with osteoblast-like MG63 cells. The cytological experiments demonstrate that the reinforced scaffolds display favorable cytocompatibility and have no significant difference with the uncoated n-HA/PA66 scaffolds. The CS reinforced n-HA/PA66 scaffolds can meet the basic mechanical requirement of bone tissue engineering scaffold, presenting a potential for biomedical application in bone reconstruction and repair.     

Optimization and evaluation of silk fibroin-chitosan freeze-dried porous scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering application

Silk fibroin/chitosan blend has been reported to be an attractive biomaterial that provides a 3D porous structure with controllable pore size and mechanical property suitable for tissue engineering applications. However, there is no systematic study for optimizing the ratio of silk fibroin (SF) and chitosan (CS) which seems to influence the scaffold property to a great extent. The present research, therefore, investigates the effect of blend ratio of SF and CS on scaffold property and establishes the optimum value of blend ratio. Among the various blends, the scaffolds with blend ratio of SF/CS (80:20) were found to be superior. The scaffold possesses pore size in the range 71–210 μm and porosity of 82.2 ± 1.3%. The compressive strength of the scaffold was measured as 190 ± 0.2 kPa. The cell supportive property of the scaffold in terms of cell attachment, cell viability, and proliferation was confirmed by cell culture study using mesenchymal stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood. Furthermore, the assessment of glycosaminoglycan secretion on the scaffolds indicates its potentiality toward cartilage tissue regeneration.     

Preparation and characterization of poly(L-lactic acid)-chitosan hybrid scaffolds with drug release capability

Novel poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA)-chitosan hybrid scaffolds were developed in order to be used as tissue-engineering scaffolds and drug release carriers. The incorporation of chitosan into the PLLA porous structure allows for producing chitosan-based scaffold devices with interesting damping and stiffness aimed at being used in tissue engineering of bone or cartilage. The pore structure of the hybrid scaffolds was influenced by the concentration of the chitosan solution introduced into the PLLA scaffold. For lower concentrations, chitosan was mainly deposited onto the PLLA surface, whereas for higher concentration chitosan formed also microfibrilar structures within the pore walls of the PLLA foam that may act as additional soft anchorage sites for cells. Equilibrium water uptakes up to about 110% were achieved in 24 h. An anti-inflammatory drug, ketoprofen, was loaded within the chitosan component of the hybrid scaffolds by immersing the scaffolds in a drug-ethanol solution. The drug was released sharply within the initial periods ( approximately 2-4 h), but the rate decreased further, showing a sustained release. The drug release rate can be controlled by the chitosan content and cross-link densities, suggesting the effectiveness of the hybrid scaffold as a drug delivery system.     

Preparation and in vitro characterization of scaffolds of poly(L-lactic acid) containing bioactive glass ceramic nanoparticles

Porous nanocomposite scaffolds of poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) containing different quantities of bioactive glass ceramic (BGC) nanoparticles (SiO(2):CaO:P(2)O(5) approximately 55:40:5 (mol)) were prepared by a thermally induced phase-separation method. Dioxane was used as the solvent for PLLA. Introduction of less than 20wt.% of BGC nanoparticles did not remarkably affect the porosity of PLLA foam. However, as the BGC content increased to 30wt.%, the porosity of the composite was observed to decrease rapidly. The compressive modulus of the scaffolds increased from 5.5 to 8.0MPa, while the compressive strength increased from 0.28 to 0.35MPa as the BGC content increased from 0 to 30wt.%. The in vitro bioactivity and biodegradability of nanocomposites were investigated by incubation in simulated body fluid (SBF) and phosphate-buffered saline, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were employed to monitor the surface variation of neat PLLA and PLLA/BGC porous scaffolds during incubation. PLLA/(20wt.%)BGC composite exhibited the best mineralization property in SBF, while the PLLA/(10wt.%)BGC composite showed the highest water absorption ability.     

Preparation,characterization and bioactivities of nano anhydrous calcium phosphate added gelatin–chitosan scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

Abstract

Gelatin, chitosan and nano calcium phosphate based composite scaffold with tailored architectures and properties has great potential for bone regeneration. Herein, we aimed to improve the physico chemical, mechanical and osteogenic properties of 3D porous scaffold by incorporation of dihydrogen calcium phosphate anhydrous (DCPA) nanoparticles into biopolymer matrix with variation in composition in the prepared scaffolds. Scaffolds were prepared from the slurry containing gelatin, chitosan and synthesized nano DCPA particle using lyophilization technique. DCPA nano particles were synthesized using calcium carbonate and phosphoric acid in water–ethanol medium. XRD pattern showed phase pure DCPA in synthesized nanopowder. Scaffolds were prepared by addition of DCPA nanoparticles to the extent of 5–10?wt% of total polymer into gelatin–chitosan solution with solid loading varying between 2.5 and 2.75?wt%. The prepared scaffold showed interconnected porosity with pore size varying between 110 and 200 micrometer. With addition of DCPA nanoparticles, average pore size of the prepared scaffolds decreased. With increase in nano ceramic phase content from 5?wt% to 10?wt% of total polymer, the compressive strength of the scaffold increased. Scaffold containing 10?wt% DCPA showed the highest average compressive strength of 2.2?MPa. Higher cellular activities were observed in DCPA containing scaffolds as compared to pure gelatin chitosan scaffold suggesting the fact that nano DCPA addition into the scaffold promoted better osteoblast adhesion and proliferation as evident from MTT assay and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) investigation of osteoblast cultured scaffolds. A higher degree of lamellopodia and filopodia extensions and better spreading behavior of osteoblasts were observed in FESEM micrographs of MG 63 cultured DCPA containing scaffold. The results demonstrated that both mechanical strength and osteogenic properties of gelatin–chitosan scaffold could be improved by addition of anhydrous dihydrogen calcium phosphate nanoparticles into it.     

Gradient nanofibrous chitosan/poly ɛ-caprolactone scaffolds as extracellular microenvironments for vascular tissue engineering

One of the major challenges of tissue-engineered small-diameter blood vessels is restenosis caused by thrombopoiesis. The goal of this study was to develop a 3D gradient heparinized nanofibrous scaffold, aiding endothelial cells lined on the lumen of blood vessel to prevent thrombosis. The vertical graded chitosan/poly ?-caprolactone (CS/PCL) nanofibrous vessel scaffolds were fabricated with chitosan and PCL by sequential quantity grading co-electrospinning. To mimic the natural blood vessel microenvironment, we used heparinization and immobilization of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the gradient CS/PCL. The quantity of heparinized chitosan nanofibers increased gradually from the tunica adventitia to the lumen surfaces in the gradient CS/PCL wall of tissue engineered vessel. More heparin reacted to chitosan nanofiber in gradient CS/PCL than in uniform CS/PCL nanofibrous scaffolds. Antithrombogenic properties of the scaffolds were enhanced by the heparinization of these scaffolds, as shown by activated partial thromboplastin time and platelet adhesion assay. Compared to the uniform CS/PCL scaffold, the release of VEGF from the gradient CS/PCL was more stable and sustained, and the burst release of VEGF was reduced approximately 42.5% within the initial 12 h. The adhesion and proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were enhanced on the gradient CS/PCL scaffold. Furthermore, HUVEC grew and formed an entire monolayer on the top side of the gradient CS/PCL scaffold. Therefore, use of vertical gradient heparinized CS/PCL nanofibrous scaffolds could provide an approach to create small-diameter blood vessel grafts with innate properties of mammalian vessels of anticoagulation and rapid induction of re-endothelialization.     

一种可注射体内成孔的磷酸钙骨水泥

背景：磷酸钙骨水泥存在脆性大、抗水溶性(血溶性)差、力学性能不足、降解缓慢等缺点,其临床应用受到一定限制,故需要对其进行改性研究。 目的：制备一种具有一定强度、孔隙率、适合骨生长的多孔磷酸钙骨水泥生物支架材料。 方法：以磷酸钙骨水泥为基本体系,液相采用壳聚糖的弱酸溶液,以提高磷酸钙骨水泥的可塑性和黏弹性,使骨水泥具有可注射性,显著提升骨水泥的应用范围及应用舒适度。固相为双相磷酸钙(磷酸四钙+磷酸氢钙)粉体,并在固相中添加一定量的甘露醇及聚乳酸-乙醇酸共聚物作为造孔剂,制备磷酸钙支架材料。 结果与结论：此材料孔径可达到10~300 μm。添加60%致孔剂时,磷酸钙骨水泥固化体孔隙率可达到(68.3±1.5)%。磷酸钙骨水泥孔隙率的增加使材料的力学性能下降,其抗压强度从最初不含致孔剂时的(53.0±1.4) MPa下降到含60%致孔剂的(2.5±0.2) MPa。实验制备的此种多孔磷酸钙骨水泥材料,是具有一定抗压强度、较好的孔隙率,并能体内降解的可注射生物支架材料。     

Characteristics of calcium sulfate/gelatin composite biomaterials for bone repair

A novel hybrid biomaterial composed of calcium sulfate (CS) and gelatin (GEL) was prepared with the potential of being used as bone filler or scaffold owing to its osteoconduction. Such composite biomaterial, cross-linked or un-cross-linked, could provide a suitable absorbing rate and prevent the CS crystals migrating from the implant for tissue engineering. The structure of the composite was analyzed with infrared (IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated that the crystal pattern of CS was affected by the addition of GEL. The GEL part affected the development of the CS dihydrate (CSD) crystal by slowing the conversion from CS hemihydrate (CSH) to CSD; thus, the composite actually contained CSD, CSH and GEL. The compressive strength of the CS/CLGEL composite was also investigated. The compressive strength was correlated to the weight proportions of CS in the CS/cross-linked GEL (CS/CLGEL) composite, and the highest compressive strength of 82 MPa was obtained for the composite containing 40 wt% CS. The in vitro absorption test and the SEM results showed that a porous scaffold was formed in situ with the absorption of CS in the CS/CLGEL composite in a certain time. Therefore, the CS/CLGEL composite material can be used as an in situ porous scaffold with a high initial mechanical strength, and the remaining porous GEL scaffold will enable further in-growth of cells. Human osteoblasts were cultured in contact with the CS/CLGEL composite and the primary results suggested that human osteoblasts could attach and spread on the surface of CS/CLGEL films. The preliminary animal model experiment was operated for assessing the potential of the CS/CLGEL composite as a biodegradable bone substitute. The primary results showed that the CS/CLGEL composite filler could promote new bone in-growth, which will stimulate further study.