Abstract
Bone tissue engineering is a rapidly developing, minimally invasive technique for regenerating lost bone with the aid of biomaterial scaffolds that mimic the structure and function of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Recently, scaffolds made of electrospun fibers have aroused interest due to their similarity to the ECM, and high porosity. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is an abundant component of the ECM and an attractive material for use in regenerative medicine; however, its processability by electrospinning is poor, and it must be used in combination with another polymer. Here, we used electrospinning to fabricate a composite scaffold with a core/shell morphology composed of polycaprolactone (PCL) polymer and HA and incorporating a short self-assembling peptide. The peptide includes the arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) motif and supports cellular attachment based on molecular recognition. Electron microscopy imaging demonstrated that the fibrous network of the scaffold resembles the ECM structure. In vitro biocompatibility assays revealed that MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts adhered well to the scaffold and proliferated, with significant osteogenic differentiation and calcium mineralization. Our work emphasizes the potential of this multi-component approach by which electrospinning, molecular self-assembly, and molecular recognition motifs are combined, to generate a leading candidate to serve as a scaffold for bone tissue engineering.
Highlights
Bone is a metabolically active connective tissue capable of self-regeneration through the process of bone remodeling
A pure PCL electrospun system was selected as the main polymer for the scaffold developed in this study, since this material has previously been used to prepare scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration [4,7,8,9]
We improved the bioactivity of the scaffold by incorporating the Hyaluronic acid (HA) polysaccharide and FmocFRGD self-assembling peptide, representing two additional bioactive components, into the elctrospun fibers
Summary
Bone is a metabolically active connective tissue capable of self-regeneration through the process of bone remodeling. When the damage is great, large defects cannot self-repair and, therapeutic intervention is required [1]. In such cases, autologous bone graft is regarded as the gold-standard of treatment; this method has certain drawbacks, including secondary damage, high donor site morbidity, and limited availability. Bone tissue engineering is an alternative approach in which the damaged bone is regenerated with the aid of a biomaterial scaffold. The objective of tissue engineering is to construct a bio-artificial scaffold that mimics the ECM structure and function, and supports cellular adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation, in addition to providing the required physical properties [1,2,3,4]. Scaffolds that demonstrate high porosity, interconnected pores, and a large surface area, together with sufficient mechanical and morphological properties to make them load-bearing, are considered superior [4,5,6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
