Natural polymers are increasingly being used in tissue engineering due to their ability to mimic the extracellular matrix and to act as a scaffold for cell growth, as well as their possible combination with other osteogenic factors, such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from dental pulp, in an attempt to enhance bone regeneration during the healing of a bone defect. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the repair of mandibular defects filled with a new collagen/chitosan scaffold, seeded or not with MSCs derived from dental pulp. Twenty-eight rats were submitted to surgery for creation of a defect in the right mandibular ramus and divided into the following groups: G1 (control group; mandibular defect with clot); G2 (defect filled with dental pulp mesenchymal stem cells-DPSCs); G3 (defect filled with collagen/chitosan scaffold); and G4 (collagen/chitosan scaffold seeded with DPSCs). The analysis of the scaffold microstructure showed a homogenous material with an adequate percentage of porosity. Macroscopic and radiological examination of the defect area after 6 weeks post-surgery revealed the absence of complete repair, as well as absence of signs of infection, which could indicate rejection of the implants. Histomorphometric analysis of the mandibular defect area showed that bone formation occurred in a centripetal fashion, starting from the borders and progressing towards the center of the defect in all groups. Lower bone formation was observed in G1 when compared to the other groups and G2 exhibited greater osteoregenerative capacity, followed by G4 and G3. In conclusion, the scaffold used showed osteoconductivity, no foreign body reaction, malleability and ease of manipulation, but did not obtain promising results for association with DPSCs.
Keywords: bone regeneration; bone repair; cell culture; chitosan; collagen; dental pulp; mesenchymal stem cells; oral-maxillofacial trauma; scaffolds.