Abstract
Efforts in tissue engineering aim at creating scaffolds that mimic the physiological environment with its structural, topographical and mechanical properties for restoring the function of damaged tissue. In this study we introduce composite fibres made by a biodegradable poly(lactic acid) (PLLA) matrix embedding bioactive silica-based glass particles (SBA2). Electrospinning is performed to achieve porous PLLA filaments with uniform dispersion of bioactive glass powder. The obtained composite fibres show in aligned arrays significantly increased elastic modulus compared with that of neat polymer fibres during uniaxial tensile stress. Additionally, the SBA2 bioactivity is preserved upon encapsulation as highlighted by the promoted deposition of hydroxycarbonate apatite (HCA) upon immersion in simulated body fluid solutions. HCA formation is sequential to earlier processes of polymer erosion and ion release leading to acidification of the surrounding solution environment. These findings suggest PLLA-SBA2 fibres as a composite, multifunctional system which might be appealing for both bone and soft tissue engineering applications.
Highlights
Bone tissue continuously undergoes shape remodelling and repair at the microscale through processes of local regeneration, which are regulated by growth factors, hormones and the action of mechanical stresses
A promising approach relies on composite biomaterials with osteoconductive and osteoinductive capabilities, which might allow for osteogenesis stimulation while mimicking the extracellular matrix (ECM) morphology [4,5]
This study investigated the potentiality of electrospun poly(lactic acid) (PLLA)-SBA2 fibres as potential scaffold material for tissue engineering
Summary
Bone tissue continuously undergoes shape remodelling and repair at the microscale through processes of local regeneration, which are regulated by growth factors, hormones and the action of mechanical stresses. Several studies have been focused on the addition of inorganic and bioactive fillers, such as bioactive glasses, bioceramics or hydroxyapatite [6] in polymeric constructs, with the aim to promote chemical links to bone tissue by forming hydroxycarbonate apatite (HCA) layers as a result of ion leaching, in case of bioactive glass components, into the surrounding physiological fluids In this process, the precipitation of microcrystalline HCA onto the scaffold surface [7] is due to a well-defined ion exchange mechanism between modifier ions (Na+ and Ca2+) in the glass and hydronium ions (H3O+) in the surrounding fluid, thereby causing dissolution of the glass network [8,9]. The novelty of this work is represented by the successful incorporation of SBA2 in electrospun PLLA fibres, not reported previously in literature and on the correlation of the nanopores on the fibres surface with fibres degradation and bioactive glass particles release
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