Three dimensional polycaprolactone/cellulose scaffold containing calcium-based particles: a new platform for bone regeneration

Abstract

Conventional electrospun membranes are composed of nanofibers arranged packed together with limited porosity akin to a two-dimensional (2D) sheet in which the growth of cells is restricted on the surface. In this study, we report a three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical multilayer scaffold with additional functionality by the modified gas-foaming technique. Calcium hydroxide particles were in-situ deposited on the fiber surface throughout the layers of macroporous 3D scaffold by the sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) reduction of calcium salt. Mechanical properties and biocompatibility of the conventional electrospun mat were enhanced by the underlying 3D multilayer structure and incorporation of calcium hydroxide particles. Besides, the expanded 3D nanofiber scaffold with calcium incorporation promoted cellular infiltration, mineralization and osteogenesis. This integrated 3D multilayer structure and additional functionality approach may advance the development of 2D electrospun based scaffolds for biomedical applications.

Keywords: Alizarin red staining (ARS, PubChem CID: 24890988); Calcium chloride (CaCl(2), PubChem CID: 329775071); Calcium hydroxide particles; Calcium nitrate tetrahydrate [Ca(NO(3))(4), Pubchem CID: 57652284); Cellular infiltration; Gas-foaming technique; Hydroxyapatite [[Ca(5)(OH)(PO(4))(3)]x, PubChem CID: 57648308]; Magnesium sulfate (MgSO(4), PubChem CID: 329817908); Multilayer electrospun scaffold; Polycaprolactone-cellulose; Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO(3), PubChem Substance ID 329824559); Three dimensional mat.