A poly(lactide-co-glycolide)/hydroxyapatite composite scaffold with enhanced osteoconductivity.
Biodegradable polymer/ceramic scaffolds can overcome the limitations of conventional ceramic bone substitutes. However, the conventional methods of polymer/ceramic scaffold fabrication often use organic solvents, which might be harmful to cells or tissues. Moreover, scaffolds fabricated with the conventional methods have limited ceramic exposure on the scaffold surface since the polymer solution envelopes the ceramic particles during the fabrication process. In this study, we developed a novel fabrication method for the efficient exposure of ceramic onto the scaffold surface, which would enhance the osteoconductivity and wettability of the scaffold. Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)/nanohydroxyapatite (PLGA/HA) scaffolds were fabricated by the gas foaming and particulate leaching (GF/PL) method without the use of organic solvents. Selective staining of ceramic particles indicated that HA nanoparticles exposed to the scaffold surface were observed more abundantly in the GF/PL scaffold than in the conventional solvent casting and particulate leaching (SC/PL) scaffold. Both types of scaffolds were implanted to critical size defects in rat skulls for 8 weeks. The GF/PL scaffolds exhibited significantly enhanced bone regeneration when compared with the SC/PL scaffolds. Histological analyses and microcomputed tomography of the regenerated tissues showed that bone formation was more extensive on the GF/PL scaffolds than on the SC/PL scaffolds. Compared with the SC/PL scaffolds, the enhanced bone formation on the GF/PL scaffolds may result from the higher exposure of HA nanoparticles to the scaffold surface. These results show that the biodegradable polymer/ceramic composite scaffolds fabricated with the novel GF/PL method can enhance bone regeneration compared with those fabricated with the conventional SC/PL method.
Kim
Sang-Soo
SS
Department of Bioengineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791, Korea.
Ahn
Kang-Min
KM
Park
Min Sun
MS
Lee
Jong-Ho
JH
Choi
Cha Yong
CY
Kim
Byung-Soo
BS
D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000818:Animals; D001861:Bone Regeneration; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D002516:Ceramics / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D017886:Durapatite / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D016062:Porosity; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013499:Surface Properties
D018786:Bone Substitutes; D011108:Polymers; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D017886:Durapatite