title: Porous alginate/hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering: preparation, characterization, and in vitro studies.
abstract: In this study a series of alginate/hydroxyapatite (HAP) composite scaffolds was prepared by phase separation. HAP was incorporated into the alginate gel solution to improve both the mechanical and cell-attachment properties of the scaffolds. These scaffolds had a well-interconnected porous structure with an average pore size of 150 microm and over 82% porosity. The alginate/HAP scaffold prepared at -40 degrees C with a 50% HAP content showed the best mechanical properties. The morphology of scaffolds could be manipulated by tuning the quenching temperature during the preparation. The dissolution of alginate/HAP composite scaffolds could be slowed by the pretreating them by immersion in 1.0 M CaCl(2) solution. The rat osteosarcoma UMR106 cells, an osteoblastic cell line, seeded in the scaffolds, displayed better cell attachment to the 75/25 and 50/50 alginate/HAP composite scaffolds than to the pure alginate scaffold. The natural polymeric sponges that fabricated in this study may be a promising approach for tissue-engineering applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Southern Taiwan University of Technology, Tainan 710, Taiwan. hrlin@mail.stut.edu.tw
authors.forename: Hong-Ru
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yu-Jen
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Yeh
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates; D001842:Bone and Bones; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D003188:Composite Resins; D017886:Durapatite; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D003188:Composite Resins; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D017886:Durapatite