title: Fabrication and characterization of novel nano-biocomposite scaffold of chitosan-gelatin-alginate-hydroxyapatite for bone tissue engineering.
abstract: A novel nano-biocomposite scaffold was fabricated in bead form by applying simple foaming method, using a combination of natural polymers-chitosan, gelatin, alginate and a bioceramic-nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp). This approach of combining nHAp with natural polymers to fabricate the composite scaffold, can provide good mechanical strength and biological property mimicking natural bone. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) images of the nano-biocomposite scaffold revealed the presence of interconnected pores, mostly spread over the whole surface of the scaffold. The nHAp particulates have covered the surface of the composite matrix and made the surface of the scaffold rougher. The scaffold has a porosity of 82% with a mean pore size of 112±19.0μm. Swelling and degradation studies of the scaffold showed that the scaffold possesses excellent properties of hydrophilicity and biodegradability. Short term mechanical testing of the scaffold does not reveal any rupturing after agitation under physiological conditions, which is an indicative of good mechanical stability of the scaffold. In vitro cell culture studies by seeding osteoblast cells over the composite scaffold showed good cell viability, proliferation rate, adhesion and maintenance of osteoblastic phenotype as indicated by MTT assay, ESEM of cell-scaffold construct, histological staining and gene expression studies, respectively. Thus, it could be stated that the nano-biocomposite scaffold of chitosan-gelatin-alginate-nHAp has the paramount importance for applications in bone tissue-engineering in future regenerative therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer and Process Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India. Electronic address: chhavisharma19@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chhavi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Biology, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai 400 026, India. Electronic address: amit_dinda@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Amit Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Dinda
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India. Electronic address: ppotdar@jaslokhospital.net.
authors.forename: Pravin D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Potdar
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan. Electronic address: cfchou@phys.sinica.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chia-Fu
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer and Process Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India. Electronic address: mishrawise@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Narayan Chandra
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Mishra
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry*; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000737:chemistry*; D002460:Cell Line; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D017886:Durapatite / Q000737:chemistry*; D005780:Gelatin / Q000737:chemistry*; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D005780:Gelatin; D048271:Chitosan; D017886:Durapatite
keywords: Biocomposite scaffold; Bone tissue engineering; Foaming; Nano-hydroxyapatite; Natural polymers; Osteoblast