Eggshell membrane (ESM)-based biomaterials have generated significant interest for their potential biomedical applications, including those in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Herein, the development of a bioactive ESM-based nanopatterned scaffold for enhancing the adhesion and functions of cells has been described. To control the shape of the raw ESM with entangled protein fibers, a two-step dissolution technique is used. Subsequently, nanoimprint lithography is applied to the ESM solution to fabricate scaffolds with a nanotopographic surface inspired by the fiber alignment of the extracellular matrix. In this way, the morphology and proliferation of attached osteoblasts are sensitively controlled through their response to the nanopatterned topography of the prepared scaffold, allowing significant improvements in their osteogenic differentiation and growth factor secretion. This study demonstrates the potential use of this bioactive ESM-based nanopatterned substrate as an effective cell and tissue engineering scaffold.
Keywords: bioactive nanoscaffold; eggshell membrane; nanoimprinting lithography; naturally derived biomaterials; osteogenic differentiation.