Papers by Keyword: Scaffold

Abstract: A variety of types of organic polymers have been employed in the synthesis of hybrids with silica. In this work the sol-gel method was used for preparation of macroporous 3D hybrid scaffolds based on silica and chitosan in various compositions (10, 20 and 30% wt). The hybrids were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (DRX) and Infra-red Spectroscopy (FTIR) and the effect of addition of the polymer was evaluated. The foams obtained by sol-gel process were appropriate to produce hybrids based on chitosan-silica and showed large pore size distribution and porosity, except for hybrids with higher polymer content. The FTIR spectroscopy showed a band relative to Si-O-C bond that was also found to increase with the increasing the amounts of chitosan in the hybrid. This fact can suggest an interaction between the organic-inorganic phases in the material and provide new insights on the advantages of chitosansilica hybrid materials produced via sol-gel methodology.

Abstract: Calcium phosphate ceramics are widely used as bone substitutes since they are biocompatible and bioactive. Having a chemical composition close to natural bone, calcium phosphate ceramics are promising bone substitute materials in orthopaedics, maxillofacial surgery and dentistry. Hydroxyapatite (HA) and tricalcium phosphate (TCP) are the most commonly used calcium phosphates, because their calcium/phosphorus (Ca/P) ratios are close to that of natural bone and they are relatively stable in physiological environment. HA is a major constituent of bone materials and is resorbed after a long time of residence in the body. In this work, highly porous hydroxyapatite scaffolds were produced by polymer replication method and their properties evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and micro computerized tomography ()-CT).

Abstract: We have successfully fabricated apatite-fiber scaffolds (AFSs) that enable three-dimensional cell culture. The AFSs possessing large pores of 100~250 μm and micro pores of about 5 μm were fabricated by firing the green compacts consisting of the single-crystal apatite fibers and the carbon beads with a size of 150 μm. In order to enhance the mechanical properties of the AFSs, we have improved the process of AFS fabrication: Collagen gel (type I) solutions were introduced into the pores in the scaffolds; in addition, the resulting apatite/collagen scaffolds were chemically modified by thermally dehydrated cross-linking. Actually, the results of compressive strength tests show that the value of the AFS with chemically cross-linked I-collagen was about twice as high as that of the conventional AFS without I-collagen. We conclude that combination of I-collagen and thermal dehydrated cross-linking is effective for enhancement of the mechanical properties of AFSs.

Abstract: To develop a suitable scaffold for tissue-engineered bone regeneration, we compared the efficiency of tissue-engineered bone regeneration according to the porous structure of calcium metaphosphate (CMP) ceramic scaffolds. Each scaffold was prepared with a sponge method and a foam-gel method, respectively. Both scaffolds, having either interconnected trabecular pores formed by the sponge method or fully interconnected globular pores formed by the foam-based technology, were not cytotoxic and elicited neither an immune nor an inflammatory response regardless of geometry and fabrication method. The fully interconnected globular porous scaffold showed more favorable compression strength and facilitated osteogenic repair by favoring cellular attachment and osteogenic differentiation with good osteoconductivity compared to the interconnected trabecular pore structured scaffold. These results suggest that the fully interconnected globular porous structure would be more suitable for both a bone substitute and scaffold for bioactive material-based or cell-based tissue bone regeneration.

Abstract: Bioactive glass/polymer hybrids are promising materials for biomedical applications because they combine the bioactivity of these bioceramics with the flexibility of polymers. In previous work hybrid foams with 80% bioactive glass and 20% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were prepared by the sol-gel process for application as scaffold for bone tissue engineering. In this work it was evaluated the effect of increasing the PVA content of the hybrids on structural characteristics and mechanical properties of hybrid foams produced by this method. The hybrids were prepared with inorganic phase composition of 70%SiO2-30%CaO and PVA fractions of 20 to 60% by the sol-gel method. The structural and mechanical characterization of the obtained foams was done by FTIR, SEM, Helium Picnometry, and compression tests. To reduce the acidic character of the hybrids due to the catalysts added, different neutralization solutions were tested. The immersion of hybrids in a calcium acetate solution was the most adequate neutralization method, avoiding calcium loss while maintaining pH nearly 7,0 and low PVA loss. The foams presented porosity of 60-85% and pore diameters of 100-500μm with interconnected structure. The pore structure varied with the polymer content in the hybrid. The compression tests showed that an increase of PVA fraction in the hybrids improved their mechanical properties.

Abstract: Novel hybrid gels in the system gelatin-GPTMS-TEOS were prepared via a sol-gel route, and their ability to release Si(IV) was examined using MG63 osteoblast-like cell culture. The amount of Si released and the release rate were controllable by changing the mixing ratio of GPTMS and TEOS. In addition, the hybrids had biocompatible surfaces. It is expected that the hybrids will be utilized for the investigation of the effect of Si on cell differentiation and tissue regeneration.

Abstract: Effect of osteogenic activities of MG63 on the HAp/Col membrane was examined at day 10 and 14 by reverse-transcript and real-time polymerase chain reactions. Osteogenic activities of MG63 were upregulated by culture them on the HAp/Col membrane in comparison to those on tissue culture polystyrene. The novel three-dimensional HAp/Col scaffold was prepared from the HAp/Col wavy membrane. The cylindrical HAp/Col scaffold was successfully prepared and indicated at least 2.5-times higher compressive strength and Young's modulus compared to the previous HAp/Col composites. The novel scaffold could be useful for regenerative medicine.

Abstract: A series of ceramic-polymer scaffolds were studied for bone tissue engineering applications. These applications require bone reactivity as well as suitable scaffold properties and structure. Bioactive glass (BAG) and sol-gel derived silicas were chosen for ceramic components of the scaffolds, and crosslinked poly(ε-caprolactone/D,L-lactide) copolymers with monomer ratios 90/10 and 70/30 were used as polymer matrices. Scaffolds were prepared by photo-curing crosslinkable oligomers in the presence of the ceramic component and porosity producing salt. Scaffolds with 60-80 vol-% continuous phase macroporosity were obtained by using calcium chloride hexahydrate (CaCl2⋅6H2O), and were further tested in simulated body fluid (SBF). The ceramics remained highly reactive during scaffold preparation resulting in in vitro calcium phosphate formation.

Abstract: There is a clinical and socio-economic need to produce synthetic alternatives to autologous or allogenic bone grafts. Bioactive glasses and glass-ceramics offer great potential in this area. The aims of this study were to optimise production of apatite-wollastonite (A-W) glassceramic scaffolds produced by selective laser sintering, in terms of their physical and biological properties and to look at how human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) responded to these 3-D scaffolds in vitro. An indirect selective laser sintering process successfully produced strong, porous scaffolds. Depending upon particle size(s) and infiltration of the porous structure, flexural strengths between 35 MPa and 100 MPa were obtained. Following static seeding of A-W scaffolds with MSCs, fluoresecent actin and nuclei staining, as observed by confocal microscopy, showed that these scaffolds supported the adherence of human MSC’s at time periods of up to 21 days. As such these seeded scaffolds show great potential for use in bone regenerative medicine.

Abstract: Colloidal processing was used to cast zirconia and hydroxyapatite materials. The cast materials reached densities around 99% when sintered at 1500°C and 1200°C respectively. By controlling the colloidal process the sintered density of hydroxyapatite was also reduced to around 80% when the same sintering condition was used. The casting process was combined with free form fabrication to prepare designed scaffolds with identical macroporosity. These scaffolds were used to evaluate the early bone tissue response in rabbit femur. After six weeks of implantation the bone area in scaffolds of zirconia and hydroxyapatite were compared. In scaffolds of hydroxyapatite the bone area was roughly three times larger compared to corresponding scaffolds of zirconia. When the scaffolds of hydroxyapatite also contained an open microporosity of around 20% the amount of bone was even more pronounced. The results showed the importance of the material composition and the microstructure on the bone regenerating performance of scaffolds.