Flexible Yttrium-Stabilized Zirconia Nanofibers Offer Bioactive Cues for Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells.
Currently, the main drawback of ceramic scaffolds used in hard tissue regeneration is their low mechanical strength. Stabilized zirconia, especially the tetragonal 3% yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) phase, has been considered as a bioinert ceramic material with high mechanical strength. In the present work, flexible nanofibrous YSZ scaffolds were prepared by electrospinning. The obtained scaffolds showed remarkable flexibility at the macroscopic scale, while retaining their stiffness at the microscopic scale. The surface nanoroughness of the scaffolds could be tailored by varying the heat treatment method. Our results demonstrate that the osteogenic differentiation and mineralization of seeded human mesenchymal stromal cells were supported by the nanofibrous YSZ scaffolds, in contrast to the well-known bioinert behavior of bulk YSZ. These findings highlight that flexible ceramic scaffolds are an appealing alternative to the current brittle ceramics for bone tissue regeneration applications.
Inorganic Materials Science Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente , 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
Gerard
G
Cadafalch Gazquez
Department of Complex Tissue Regeneration, MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine , 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Honglin
H
Chen
Inorganic Materials Science Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente , 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
Sjoerd A
SA
Veldhuis
Inorganic Materials Science Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente , 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
Alim
A
Solmaz
Department of Complex Tissue Regeneration, MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine , 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Carlos
C
Mota
Inorganic Materials Science Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente , 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
Bernard A
BA
Boukamp
Department of Complex Tissue Regeneration, MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine , 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Clemens A
CA
van Blitterswijk
Inorganic Materials Science Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente , 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
Johan E
JE
Ten Elshof
Department of Complex Tissue Regeneration, MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine , 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Lorenzo
L
Moroni
D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003463:Cues; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells; D057139:Nanofibers; D010012:Osteogenesis; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D015019:Yttrium; D015040:Zirconium
D015019:Yttrium; D015040:Zirconium; C028541:zirconium oxide
electrospinning ceramic; flexible ceramic scaffolds; human mesenchymal stromal cells; osteogenic differentiation; surface roughness