title: High-porosity poly(epsilon-caprolactone)/mesoporous silicon scaffolds: calcium phosphate deposition and biological response to bone precursor cells.
abstract: In this study, the fabrication and characterization of highly porous composites composed of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) and bioactive mesoporous silicon (BioSilicon) prepared using salt-leaching and microemulsion/freeze-drying methods are described. The role of silicon, along with porosity, in the scaffolds on calcium phosphate deposition was assessed using acellular in vitro calcification analyses. The presence of bioactive silicon in these scaffolds is essential for the deposition of calcium phosphate while the samples are immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF). Silicon-containing scaffolds produced using salt-leaching methods are more likely to calcify as a consequence of SBF exposure than those produced using microemulsion methods. In vitro proliferation and cell viability assays of these porous composites using human embryonic kidney fibroblast cells indicate that no cytotoxic effects are present in the scaffolds under the conditions used. Preliminary analyses of bone sialoprotein and alkaline phosphatase expression using orthopedically relevant mesenchymal cells derived from bone marrow suggest that such scaffolds are capable of mediating osteoblast differentiation. Overall, the results show that these porous silicon-containing polymer scaffolds enhance calcification, can be considered nontoxic to cells, and support the proliferation, viability, attachment, and differentiation of bone precursor cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas 76129, USA.
authors.forename: Melanie A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Whitehead
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Priyabrata
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Giridhar R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Akkaraju
authors.forename: Leigh T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Canham
authors.forename: Jeffery L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Coffer
mesh_terms: D001826:Body Fluids; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011091:Polyesters; D016062:Porosity; D012825:Silicon; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone; C020243:calcium phosphate; D012825:Silicon