title: Hydroxyapatite/gelatin/gellan sponges as nanocomposite scaffolds for bone reconstruction.
abstract: The aim of this work was the morphological, physicochemical, mechanical and biological characterization of a new composite system, based on gelatin, gellan and hydroxyapatite, and mimicking the composition of natural bone. Porous scaffolds were prepared by freeze-drying technique, under three different conditions of freezing. The morphological analysis showed a homogeneous porosity, with well interconnected pores, for the sample which underwent a more rapid freezing. The elastic modulus of the same sample was close to that of the natural bone. The presence of interactions among the components was demonstrated through the physicochemical investigation. In addition, the infrared chemical imaging analysis pointed out the similarity among the composite scaffold and the natural bone, in terms of chemical composition, homogeneity, molecular interactions and structural conformation. Preliminary biological characterization showed a good adhesion and proliferation of human mesenchymal stem cells.
authors: Department of Chemical Engineering, Industrial Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. n.barbani@diccism.unipi.it
authors: Niccoletta
authors: N
authors: Barbani
authors: Giulio D
authors: GD
authors: Guerra
authors: Caterina
authors: C
authors: Cristallini
authors: Patrizia
authors: P
authors: Urciuoli
authors: Riccardo
authors: R
authors: Avvisati
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Sala
authors: Elisabetta
authors: E
authors: Rosellini
mesh_terms: D001846:Bone Development; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D017886:Durapatite / Q000737:chemistry*; D005612:Freeze Drying; D005780:Gelatin / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D053761:Nanocomposites; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D018786:Bone Substitutes; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C048288:gellan gum; D005780:Gelatin; D017886:Durapatite