Coating electrospun poly(epsilon-caprolactone) fibers with gelatin and calcium phosphate and their use as biomimetic scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

ECM Decorated Electrospun Nanofiber for Improving Bone Tissue Regeneration

Optimization of nanofiber surface properties can lead to enhanced tissue regeneration outcomes in the context of bone tissue engineering. Herein, we developed a facile strategy to decorate elctrospun nanofibers using extracellular matrix (ECM) in order to improve their performance for bone tissue engineering. Electrospun PLLA nanofibers (PLLA NF) were seeded with MC3T3-E1 cells and allowed to grow for two weeks in order to harvest a layer of ECM on nanofiber surface. After decellularization, we found that ECM was successfully preserved on nanofiber surface while maintaining the nanostructure of electrospun fibers. ECM decorated on PLLA NF is biologically active, as evidenced by its ability to enhance mouse bone marrow stromal cells (mBMSCs) adhesion, support cell proliferation and promote early stage osteogenic differentiation of mBMSCs. Compared to PLLA NF without ECM, mBMSCs grown on ECM/PLLA NF exhibited a healthier morphology, faster proliferation profile, and more robust osteogenic differentiation. Therefore, our study suggests that ECM decoration on electrospun nanofibers could serve as an efficient approach to improving their performance for bone tissue engineering.

Emerging Roles of Electrospun Nanofibers in Cancer Research

This article reviews the recent progress of electrospun nanofibers in cancer research. It begins with a brief introduction to the emerging potential of electrospun nanofibers in cancer research. Next, a number of recent advances on the important features of electrospun nanofibers critical for cancer research are discussed including the incorporation of drugs, control of release kinetics, orientation and alignment of nanofibers, and the fabrication of 3D nanofiber scaffolds. This article further highlights the applications of electrospun nanofibers in several areas of cancer research including local chemotherapy, combinatorial therapy, cancer detection, cancer cell capture, regulation of cancer cell behavior, construction of in vitro 3D cancer model, and engineering of bone microenvironment for cancer metastasis. This progress report concludes with remarks on the challenges and future directions for design, fabrication, and application of electrospun nanofibers in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.

* Engineering Membranes for Bone Regeneration

This review is focused on the use of membranes for the specific application of bone regeneration. The first section focuses on the relevance of membranes in this context and what are the specifications that they should possess to improve the regeneration of bone. Afterward, several techniques to engineer bone membranes by using "bulk"-like methods are discussed, where different parameters to induce bone formation are disclosed in a way to have desirable structural and functional properties. Subsequently, the production of nanostructured membranes using a bottom-up approach is discussed by highlighting the main advances in the field of bone regeneration. Primordial importance is given to the promotion of osteoconductive and osteoinductive capability during the membrane design. Whenever possible, the films prepared using different techniques are compared in terms of handability, bone guiding ability, osteoinductivity, adequate mechanical properties, or biodegradability. A last chapter contemplates membranes only composed by cells, disclosing their potential to regenerate bone.

Inverse Opal Scaffolds and Their Biomedical Applications

Three-dimensional porous scaffolds play a pivotal role in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine by functioning as biomimetic substrates to manipulate cellular behaviors. While many techniques have been developed to fabricate porous scaffolds, most of them rely on stochastic processes that typically result in scaffolds with pores uncontrolled in terms of size, structure, and interconnectivity, greatly limiting their use in tissue regeneration. Inverse opal scaffolds, in contrast, possess uniform pores inheriting from the template comprised of a closely packed lattice of monodispersed microspheres. The key parameters of such scaffolds, including architecture, pore structure, porosity, and interconnectivity, can all be made uniform across the same sample and among different samples. In conjunction with a tight control over pore sizes, inverse opal scaffolds have found widespread use in biomedical applications. In this review, we provide a detailed discussion on this new class of advanced materials. After a brief introduction to their history and fabrication, we highlight the unique advantages of inverse opal scaffolds over their non-uniform counterparts. We then showcase their broad applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, followed by a summary and perspective on future directions.

Synthesis of silk fibroin-g-PAA composite using H2O2-HRP and characterization of the in situ biomimetic mineralization behavior

Silk fibroin (SF) as a bioactive protein can offer growth substrates for hydroxyapatite (HAp) deposition. In the current work, graft copolymerization of acrylic acid (AA) onto fibroin chains was carried out using hydrogen peroxide-horseradish peroxidase (H₂O₂-HRP) catalytic system, SF-g-polyacrylic acid (PAA) membranes was prepared subsequently, followed by in situ biomimetic mineralization in the Ca/P solutions, aiming at promoting the deposition of HAp and endowing the fibroin-based biocomposite with enhanced bioactivity. Meanwhile, p-hydroxyphenylacetamide (PHAD) and methyl acrylate (MA), as the model compounds of tyrosine residues in SF and vinyl monomer were used to disclose the mechanism of graft copolymerization. The data from FTIR and SEC chromatograms indicated that vinyl monomer was successfully graft copolymerized with SF during H₂O₂-HRP treatment. According to the results of XRD, SEM patterns and EDS-Mapping, mineral phases on the surfaces of SF-g-PAA membranes were detected after different cycles of biomimetic mineralization, and the mechanical property of SF-g-PAA/HAp membrane was noticeably improved. Cell viability and adhesion assays revealed that the composite of SF-g-PAA/HAp exhibited acceptable biocompatibility and outstanding adhesion property. The present work provides a novel method for preparation of the fibroin-based biomaterial for bone tissue engineering.

Starch-derived absorbable polysaccharide hemostat enhances bone healing via BMP-2 protein

Surgical hemostasis is critical in reducing the likelihood of excessive bleeding and blood transfusion. In treating some cases, commonly used hemostatic agent showed limited efficacy and prolonged degradation and clearance, causing an inhibition of bone healing. Starch absorbable polysaccharide (SAPH) is a novel hemostatic agent made from a plant starch, which can be completely absorbed and achieve better hemostatic effects than many commonly used hemostatic agents. However, whether SAPH can induce a promotion of bone healing remains unknown. In this study, we used a model of rabbit parietal bone defect and a mouse osteoblast cell line MC3T3-E1 to evaluate the effects of SAPH on bone healing. We found that SAPH significantly decreased bone healing scores, reduced defective area of parietal bone, and increased the areas of bone trabeculae and cavitas medullaris. In addition, SAPH enhanced MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts proliferation, up-regulated the expressions of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin and increased the level of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) in MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. These SAPH-induced benefits in MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts were significantly abolished by the application of BMP-2-siRNA. These findings suggested that SAPH enhances bone healing, promotes the proliferation, differentiation and maturation of osteoblast by up-regulating BMP-2 expression in osteoblastic cells.

Biomimetic approaches with smart interfaces for bone regeneration

A 'smart tissue interface' is a host tissue-biomaterial interface capable of triggering favourable biochemical events inspired by stimuli responsive mechanisms. In other words, biomaterial surface is instrumental in dictating the interface functionality. This review aims to investigate the fundamental and favourable requirements of a 'smart tissue interface' that can positively influence the degree of healing and promote bone tissue regeneration. A biomaterial surface when interacts synergistically with the dynamic extracellular matrix, the healing process become accelerated through development of a smart interface. The interface functionality relies equally on bound functional groups and conjugated molecules belonging to the biomaterial and the biological milieu it interacts with. The essential conditions for such a special biomimetic environment are discussed. We highlight the impending prospects of smart interfaces and trying to relate the design approaches as well as critical factors that determine species-specific functionality with special reference to bone tissue regeneration.

Demineralized Bone Matrix Scaffolds Modified by CBD-SDF-1α Promote Bone Regeneration via Recruiting Endogenous Stem Cells

The reconstruction of bone usually depends on substitute transplantation, which has drawbacks including the limited bone substitutes available, comorbidity, immune rejection, and limited endogenous bone regeneration. Here, we constructed a functionalized bone substitute by combining application of the demineralized bone matrix (DBM) and collagen-binding stromal-cell-derived factor-1α (CBD-SDF-1α). DBM was a poriferous and biodegradable bone substitute, derived from bovine bone and consisting mainly of collagen. CBD-SDF-1α could bind to collagen and be controllably released from the DBM to mobilize stem cells. In a rat femur defect model, CBD-SDF-1α-modified DBM scaffolds could efficiently mobilize CD34⁺ and c-kit⁺ endogenous stem cells homing to the injured site at 3 days after implantation. According to the data from micro-CT, CBD-SDF-1α-modified DBM scaffolds could help the bone defects rejoin with mineralization accumulated and bone volume expanded. Interestingly, osteoprotegerin (OPG) and osteopontin (OPN) were highly expressed in CBD-SDF-1α group at an early time after implantation, while osteocalcin (OCN) was more expanded. H&E and Masson's trichrome staining showed that the CBD-SDF-1α-modified DBM scaffold group had more osteoblasts and that the bone defect rejoined earlier. The ultimate strength of the regenerated bone was investigated by three-point bending, showing that the CBD-SDF-1α group had superior strength. In conclusion, CBD-SDF-1α-modified DBM scaffolds could promote bone regeneration by recruiting endogenous stem cells.

The preosteoblast response of electrospinning PLGA/PCL nanofibers: effects of biomimetic architecture and collagen I

Constructing biomimetic structure and incorporating bioactive molecules is an effective strategy to achieve a more favorable cell response. To explore the effect of electrospinning (ES) nanofibrous architecture and collagen I (COL I)-incorporated modification on tuning osteoblast response, a resorbable membrane composed of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/poly(caprolactone) (PLGA/PCL; 7:3 w/w) was developed via ES. COL I was blended into PLGA/PCL solution to prepare composite ES membrane. Notably, relatively better cell response was delivered by the bioactive ES-based membrane which was fabricated by modification of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine and COL I. After investigation by field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, contact angle measurement, and mechanical test, polyporous three-dimensional nanofibrous structure with low tensile force and the successful integration of COL I was obtained by the ES method. Compared with traditional PLGA/PCL membrane, the surface hydrophilicity of collagen-incorporated membranes was largely enhanced. The behavior of mouse preosteoblast MC3T3-E1 cell infiltration and proliferation on membranes was studied at 24 and 48 hours. The negative control was fabricated by solvent casting. Evaluation of cell adhesion and morphology demonstrated that all the ES membranes were more favorable for promoting the cell adhesion and spreading than the casting membrane. Cell Counting Kit-8 assays revealed that biomimetic architecture, surface topography, and bioactive properties of membranes were favorable for cell growth. Analysis of β1 integrin expression level by immunofluorescence indicated that such biomimetic architecture, especially COL I-grafted surface, plays a key role in cell adhesion and proliferation. The real-time polymerase chain reaction suggested that both surface topography and bioactive properties could facilitate the cell adhesion. The combined effect of biomimetic architecture with enhanced surface activity by 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine-assisted modification and COL I incorporation of PLGA/PCL electrospun membranes could successfully fill osteogenic defects and allow for better cell proliferation and differentiation.

Processing and surface modification of polymer nanofibers for biological scaffolds: a review

Polymeric fibrous constructs possess high surface area-to-volume ratios when compared with solid substrates and are quite commonly used as tissue engineering and cell growth scaffolds. An overview of important design and material considerations for fibrous scaffolds as well as an outline of both established and emerging solution- and melt-based fabrication techniques is provided. Innovative post-process surface modification avenues using "click" chemistry with both single and dual active cues as well as gradient cues, which maintain the fibrous structure are described. By combining process parameters with post-process surface modification, researchers have been able to selectively tune cellular response after seeding and culturing on fibrous constructs.

Biomimetic Extracellular Environment Based on Natural Origin Polyelectrolyte Multilayers

Surface modification of biomaterials is a well-known approach to enable an adequate biointerface between the implant and the surrounding tissue, dictating the initial acceptance or rejection of the implantable device. Since its discovery in early 1990s layer-by-layer (LbL) approaches have become a popular and attractive technique to functionalize the biomaterials surface and also engineering various types of objects such as capsules, hollow tubes, and freestanding membranes in a controllable and versatile manner. Such versatility enables the incorporation of different nanostructured building blocks, including natural biopolymers, which appear as promising biomimetic multilayered systems due to their similarity to human tissues. In this review, the potential of natural origin polymer-based multilayers is highlighted in hopes of a better understanding of the mechanisms behind its use as building blocks of LbL assembly. A deep overview on the recent progresses achieved in the design, fabrication, and applications of natural origin multilayered films is provided. Such films may lead to novel biomimetic approaches for various biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, implantable devices, cell-based biosensors, diagnostic systems, and basic cell biology.

Preparation and in vitro evaluation of a biomimetic nanoscale calcium phosphate coating on a polyethylene terephthalate artificial ligament

In the present study, a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) artificial ligament was coated with an organic layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembled template of chitosan and hyaluronic acid, and then incubated in a calcium phosphate (CaP) solution to prepare a biomimetic CaP coating. The surface characterization of the ligament was examined using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The effects of CaP coatings on the osteogenic activity of MC3T3 E1 mouse osteoblastic cells were investigated by evaluating their attachment, proliferation and the relative expression levels of alkaline phosphatase. The results revealed that the organic LBL template on the PET artificial ligament was effective for CaP apatite formation. Following incubation for 72 h, numerous nanoscale CaP apatites were deposited on the PET ligament fibers. In addition, the results of the in vitro culture of MC3T3-E1 mouse osteoblastic cells demonstrated that the CaP coating had a good biocompatibility for cell proliferation and adhesion, and the CaP-coated group had a significantly higher alkaline phosphatase activity compared with the uncoated control group after seven days of cell culture. Collectively, these results demonstrated that the biomimetic nanoscale CaP-coated PET artificial ligaments have potential in bone-tissue engineering.

Versatile Production of Poly(Epsilon-Caprolactone) Fibers by Electrospinning Using Benign Solvents

The electrospinning technique is widely used for the fabrication of micro- and nanofibrous structures. Recent studies have focused on the use of less toxic and harmful solvents (benign solvents) for electrospinning, even if those solvents usually require an accurate and longer process of optimization. The aim of the present work is to demonstrate the versatility of the use of benign solvents, like acetic acid and formic acid, for the fabrication of microfibrous and nanofibrous electrospun poly(epsilon-caprolactone) mats. The solvent systems were also shown to be suitable for the fabrication of electrospun structures with macroporosity, as well as for the fabrication of composite electrospun mats, fabricated by the addition of bioactive glass (45S5 composition) particles in the polymeric solution.

Poly(ε-caprolactone) Scaffolds Fabricated by Melt Electrospinning for Bone Tissue Engineering

Melt electrospinning is a promising approach to manufacture biocompatible scaffolds for tissue engineering. In this study, melt electrospinning of poly(ε-caprolactone) onto structured, metallic collectors resulted in scaffolds with an average pore size of 250-300 μm and an average fibre diameter of 15 μm. Scaffolds were seeded with ovine osteoblasts in vitro. Cell proliferation and deposition of mineralised extracellular matrix was assessed using PicoGreen® (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Scoresby, Australia) and WAKO® HR II (WAKO, Osaka, Japan) calcium assays. Biocompatibility, cell infiltration and the growth pattern of osteoblasts on scaffolds was investigated using confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Osteoblasts proliferated on the scaffolds over an entire 40-day culture period, with excellent survival rates and deposited mineralized extracellular matrix. In general, the 3D environment of the structured melt electrospun scaffold was favourable for osteoblast cultures.

Advancing biomaterials of human origin for tissue engineering

Biomaterials have played an increasingly prominent role in the success of biomedical devices and in the development of tissue engineering, which seeks to unlock the regenerative potential innate to human tissues/organs in a state of deterioration and to restore or reestablish normal bodily function. Advances in our understanding of regenerative biomaterials and their roles in new tissue formation can potentially open a new frontier in the fast-growing field of regenerative medicine. Taking inspiration from the role and multi-component construction of native extracellular matrices (ECMs) for cell accommodation, the synthetic biomaterials produced today routinely incorporate biologically active components to define an artificial in vivo milieu with complex and dynamic interactions that foster and regulate stem cells, similar to the events occurring in a natural cellular microenvironment. The range and degree of biomaterial sophistication have also dramatically increased as more knowledge has accumulated through materials science, matrix biology and tissue engineering. However, achieving clinical translation and commercial success requires regenerative biomaterials to be not only efficacious and safe but also cost-effective and convenient for use and production. Utilizing biomaterials of human origin as building blocks for therapeutic purposes has provided a facilitated approach that closely mimics the critical aspects of natural tissue with regard to its physical and chemical properties for the orchestration of wound healing and tissue regeneration. In addition to directly using tissue transfers and transplants for repair, new applications of human-derived biomaterials are now focusing on the use of naturally occurring biomacromolecules, decellularized ECM scaffolds and autologous preparations rich in growth factors/non-expanded stem cells to either target acceleration/magnification of the body's own repair capacity or use nature's paradigms to create new tissues for restoration. In particular, there is increasing interest in separating ECMs into simplified functional domains and/or biopolymeric assemblies so that these components/constituents can be discretely exploited and manipulated for the production of bioscaffolds and new biomimetic biomaterials. Here, following an overview of tissue auto-/allo-transplantation, we discuss the recent trends and advances as well as the challenges and future directions in the evolution and application of human-derived biomaterials for reconstructive surgery and tissue engineering. In particular, we focus on an exploration of the structural, mechanical, biochemical and biological information present in native human tissue for bioengineering applications and to provide inspiration for the design of future biomaterials.

Highly controlled coating of strontium-doped hydroxyapatite on electrospun poly(ɛ-caprolactone) fibers

Electrospun fibers show great potential as scaffolds for bone tissue engineering due to their architectural biomimicry to the extracellular matrix (ECM). Cation substitution of strontium for calcium in hydroxyapatite (HAp) positively influences the mechanism of bone remodeling including enhancing bone regeneration and reducing bone resorption. The objective of this study was to attach strontium-doped HAp (SrHAp) to electrospun poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) fibers for creation of novel composite scaffolds that can not only mimic the architecture and composition of ECM but also affect bone remodeling favorably. We demonstrated for the first time the highly controlled SrHAp coatings on electrospun PCL fibers. We showed the reproducible manufacturing of composite fiber scaffolds with controllable thickness, composition, and morphology of SrHAp coatings. We further showed that the released strontium and calcium cations from coatings could reach effective concentrations within 1 day and endure more than 28 days. Additionally, the Young's modulus of the SrHAp-coated PCL fibers was up to around six times higher than that of raw fibers dependent on the coating thickness and composition. Together, this novel class of composite fiber scaffolds may hold great promise for bone regeneration. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 753-763, 2017.

Non-mulberry silk fibroin grafted poly(ε-caprolactone) nanofibrous scaffolds mineralized by electrodeposition: an optimal delivery system for growth factors to enhance bone regeneration

Nanofibrous PCL matrix with non-mulberry silk fibroin grafting and electrodeposited nHAp was used successfully as dual growth factor delivery medium for in vitro osteogenesis.

Bicomponent electrospun scaffolds to design extracellular matrix tissue analogs

In the last decade, bicomponent fibers have been proposed to fabricate bio-inspired systems for tissue repair, regenerative medicine, medical healthcare and clinical applications. In comparison with monocomponent fibers, key advantage concerns their ability of self-adapting to the physiological conditions through an extended pattern of signals--morphological, chemical and physical ones--confined at the single fiber level. Hydrophobic/hydrophilic phases may be variously organized by tuneable processing modes (i.e., blending, core/shell, interweaving) thus offering different benefits in terms of biological activity, fluid sorption and molecular transport properties (first generation). The possibility to efficiently graft cell-adhesive proteins and peptide sequences onto the fiber surface mediated by spacers or impregnating hydrogels allows to trigger cell late activities by a controlled and sustained release in vitro of specific biomolecules (i.e., morphogens, growth factors). Here, we introduce an overview of current approaches based on bicomponent fiber use as extra cellular matrix analogs with cell-instructive functions and hierarchal organization of living tissues.

Synthesis and characterization of CaO-loaded electrospun matrices for bone tissue engineering

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to synthesize and characterize biodegradable polymer-based matrices loaded with CaO nanoparticles for osteomyelitis treatment and bone tissue engineering.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and PCL/gelatin (1:1, w/w) solutions containing CaO nanoparticles were electrospun into fibrous matrices. Scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy, Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), contact angle (CA), tensile testing, and antibacterial activity (agar diffusion assay) against Staphylococcus aureus were performed. Osteoprecursor cell (MC3T3-E1) response (i.e., viability and alkaline phosphatase expression/ALP) and infiltration into the matrices were evaluated.

RESULTS

CaO nanoparticles were successfully incorporated into the fibers, with the median fiber diameter decreasing after CaO incorporation. The CA decreased with the addition of CaO, and the presence of gelatin made the matrix very hydrophilic (CA = 0°). Increasing CaO concentrations progressively reduced the mechanical properties (p ≤ 0.030). CaO-loaded matrices did not display consistent antibacterial activity. MC3T3-E1 cell viability demonstrated the highest levels for CaO-loaded matrices containing gelatin after 7 days in culture. An increased ALP expression was consistently seen for PCL/CaO matrices when compared to PCL and gelatin-containing counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite inconsistent antibacterial activity, CaO nanoparticles can be effectively loaded into PCL or PCL/gelatin fibers without negatively affecting the overall performance of the matrices. More importantly, CaO incorporation enhanced cell viability as well as differentiation capacity, as demonstrated by an increased ALP expression.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

CaO-loaded electrospun matrices show potential for applications in bone tissue engineering.

Nanofiber formation in the presence of an external magnetic field in electrospinning

Electrospinning is an efficient, versatile, and straightforward technique involving the fabrication of very thin fibers from a rich variety of materials. Despite several promising applications, the remaining problem with electrospinning is the unpredictable deposition of the nanofibers. In this study, a mathematical model for a novel magnetic electrospinning process was established on the basis of a set of equations. Then, the model was utilized to analyze the behavior of the created polymer jet numerically using the Runge-Kutta method. The jet was assumed to consist of a number of discrete charged particles connected by viscoelastic segments. The results showed that exerting an appropriate magnetic field (MF) could significantly decrease the radius and the instability of the whipping circles. After fixing the instability as far as possible, it was demonstrated that a properly applied perpendicular MF could largely adjust the target of the polymer jet on the collector.

Shish-kebab-structured poly(ε-caprolactone) nanofibers hierarchically decorated with chitosan-poly(ε-caprolactone) copolymers for bone tissue engineering

In this work, scaffolds with a shish-kebab (SK) structure formed by poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibers and chitosan-PCL (CS-PCL) copolymers were prepared via electrospinning and subsequent crystallization for bone tissue engineering applications. The aim of this study was to introduce nanosized topography and the high biocompatibility of chitosan onto PCL nanofibers to enhance cell affinity to PCL scaffolds. CS-PCL copolymers with various ratios were synthesized, and then spontaneously crystallized as kebabs onto the electrospun PCL fibers, which acted as shishes. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results demonstrated that the copolymer with PCL to chitosan ratio of 8.8 could hierarchically decorate the PCL nanofibers and formed well-shaped kebabs on the PCL nanofiber surface. Water contact angle tests and biomimetic activity experiments revealed that the shish-kebab scaffolds with CS-PCL kebabs (PCL-SK(CS-PCL(8.8))) showed enhanced hydrophilicity and mineralization ability compared with smooth PCL and PCL-SK(PCL) shish-kebab scaffolds. Osteoblast-like MG63 cells cultured on the PCL-SK(CS-PCL(8.8)) scaffolds showed optimizing cell attachment, cell viability, and metabolic activity, demonstrating that this kind of scaffold has potential applications in bone tissue engineering.

Tissue engineering for bone regeneration and osseointegration in the oral cavity

OBJECTIVE

The focus of this review is to summarize recent advances on regenerative technologies (scaffolding matrices, cell/gene therapy and biologic drug delivery) to promote reconstruction of tooth and dental implant-associated bone defects.

METHODS

An overview of scaffolds developed for application in bone regeneration is presented with an emphasis on identifying the primary criteria required for optimized scaffold design for the purpose of regenerating physiologically functional osseous tissues. Growth factors and other biologics with clinical potential for osteogenesis are examined, with a comprehensive assessment of pre-clinical and clinical studies. Potential novel improvements to current matrix-based delivery platforms for increased control of growth factor spatiotemporal release kinetics are highlighting including recent advancements in stem cell and gene therapy.

RESULTS

An analysis of existing scaffold materials, their strategic design for tissue regeneration, and use of growth factors for improved bone formation in oral regenerative therapies results in the identification of current limitations and required improvements to continue moving the field of bone tissue engineering forward into the clinical arena.

SIGNIFICANCE

Development of optimized scaffolding matrices for the predictable regeneration of structurally and physiologically functional osseous tissues is still an elusive goal. The introduction of growth factor biologics and cells has the potential to improve the biomimetic properties and regenerative potential of scaffold-based delivery platforms for next-generation patient-specific treatments with greater clinical outcome predictability.

Fabrication of divalent ion substituted hydroxyapatite/gelatin nanocomposite coating on electron beam treated titanium: mechanical, anticorrosive, antibacterial and bioactive evaluations

The strontium, magnesium and zinc substituted hydroxyapatite/gelatin (M-HAP/Gel) nanocomposite coating on electron beam treated titanium will definitely be an effective implant material for better cell growth in orthopedic applications.

Engineering of biomimetic nanofibrous matrices for drug delivery and tissue engineering

Biomimetic nanofibers have emerged as promising candidates for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. In this paper, recent advances on the fabrication and application of biomimetic nanofibers as drug carriers and scaffolding materials are reviewed. First, we delineate the three popular nanofiber fabrication techniques including electrospinning, phase separation and molecular self-assembly, covering the principal materials used for different techniques and surface functionalization strategies for nanofibers. Furthermore, we focus our interest on the nanofiber-based delivery strategies and underlying kinetics for growth factors and other bioactive molecules, following which we summarize the recent advances in the development of these nanofibrous matrices for bone, vascular and neural tissue engineering applications. Finally, research challenges and future trends in the related areas are discussed.

Tuning molecular weights of Bombyx mori (B. mori) silk sericin to modify its assembly structures and materials formation

Bombyx mori (B. mori) silk sericin is a protein with features desirable as a biomaterial, such as increased hydrophilicity and biodegradation, as well as resistance to oxidation, bacteria, and ultraviolet light. In contrast to other widely studied B. mori silk proteins such as fibroin, sericin is still unexplored as a building block for fabricating biomaterial, and thus a facile technique of processing it into a material is needed. Here, electrospinning technology was used to fabricate it into biomaterials from two forms of B. mori silk sericin with different molecular weights, one is a low (12.0 kDa) molecular sericin (LS) form and another is a high (66.0 kDa) molecular weight sericin (HS) form. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra showed that LS in hexafluoroacetone (HFA) solvent adopted a predominantly random coil conformation, whereas HS tended to form a β-sheet structure along with a large content of random coils. In addition, LS and HS in HFA solvent were found to form cylinder-like smaller nanoparticles and larger irregular aggregates before electrospinning, respectively. As a result, biomaterials based on microparticles and nanofibers were successfully fabricated by electrospinning of LS and HS dissolved in HFA, respectively. The cell viability and differentiation assay indicated that nanofibers and microparticles improved cell adhesion, growth, and differentiation, proving that the scaffolds electrospun from sericin are biocompatible regardless of its molecular weight. The microparticles, not common in electrospinning of silk proteins reported previously, were found to promote the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells in comparison to the nanofibers. This study suggested that molecular weight of sericin mediates its secondary structure and assembly structure, which in turn leads to a control of final morphology of the electrospun materials. The microparticles and nanofibers of sericin can be potentially used as building blocks for fabricating the scaffolds for tissue engineering.

The mechanics of PLGA nanofiber scaffolds with biomimetic gradients in mineral for tendon-to-bone repair

Attachment of dissimilar materials is prone to failure due to stress concentrations that can arise their interface. A compositionally or structurally graded transition can dissipate these stress concentrations and thereby toughen an attachment. The interface between compliant tendon and stiff bone utilizes a monotonic change in hydroxylapatite mineral ("mineral") content to produce a gradient in mechanical properties and mitigate stress concentrations. Previous efforts to mimic the natural tendon-to-bone attachment have included electrospun nanofibrous polymer scaffolds with gradients in mineral. Mineralization of the nanofiber scaffolds has typically been achieved using simulated body fluid (SBF). Depending on the specific formulation of SBF, mineral morphologies ranged from densely packed small crystals to platelike crystal florets. Although this mineralization of scaffolds produced increases in modulus, the peak modulus achieved remained significantly below that of bone. Missing from these prior empirical approaches was insight into the effect of mineral morphology on scaffold mechanics and on the potential for the approach to ultimately achieve moduli approaching that of bone. Here, we applied two mineralization methods to generate scaffolds with spatial gradations in mineral content, and developed methods to quantify the stiffening effects and evaluate them in the context of theoretical bounds. We asked whether either of the mineralization methods we developed holds potential to achieve adequate stiffening of the scaffold, and tested the hypothesis that the smoother, denser mineral coating could attain more potent stiffening effects. Testing this hypothesis required development of and comparison to homogenization bounds, and development of techniques to estimate mineral volume fractions and spatial gradations in modulus. For both mineralization strategies, energy dispersive X-ray analysis demonstrated the formation of linear gradients in mineral concentration along the length of the scaffolds, and Raman spectroscopic analysis revealed that the mineral produced was hydroxylapatite. Mechanical testing showed that the stiffness gradient using the new method was significantly steeper. By analyzing the scaffolds using micromechanical modeling techniques and extrapolating from our experimental results, we present evidence that the new mineralization protocol has the potential to achieve levels of stiffness adequate to contribute to enhanced repair of tendon-to-bone attachments.

Effective immobilization of BMP-2 mediated by polydopamine coating on biodegradable nanofibers for enhanced in vivo bone formation

Although bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) have been widely used for bone regeneration, the ideal delivery system with optimized dose and minimized side effects is still active area of research. In this study, we developed bone morphogenetic protein-2(BMP-2) immobilized poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) nanofibers inspired by polydopamine, which could be ultimately used as membranes for guided bone regeneration, and investigated their effect on guidance of in vitro cell behavior and in vivo bone formation. Surface chemical analysis of the nanofibers confirmed successful immobilization of BMP-2 mediated by polydopamine, and about 90% of BMP-2 was stably retained on the nanofiber surface for at least 28 days. The alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium mineralization of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) after 14 days of in vitro culture was significantly enhanced on nanofibers immobilized with BMP-2. More importantly, BMP-2 at a relatively small dose was highly active following implantation to the critical-sized defect in the cranium of mice; radiographic analysis demonstrated that 77.8 ± 11.7% of newly formed bone was filled within the defect for a BMP-2-immobilized groups at the concentration of 124 ± 9 ng/cm(2), as compared to 5.9 ± 1.0 and 34.1 ± 5.5% recovery, for a defect-only and a polydopamine-only group, respectively. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy of samples from the BMP-2 immobilized group showed fibroblasts and osteoblasts with nanofiber strands in the middle of regenerated bone tissue, revealing the importance of interaction between implanted nanofibers and the neighboring extracellular environment. Taken together, our data support that the presentation of BMP-2 on the surface of nanofibers as immobilized by utilizing polydopamine chemistry may be an effective method to direct bone growth at relatively low local concentration.

The use of physiological solutions or media in calcium phosphate synthesis and processing

This review examined the literature to spot uses, if any, of physiological solutions/media for the in situ synthesis of calcium phosphates (CaP) under processing conditions (i.e. temperature, pH, concentration of inorganic ions present in media) mimicking those prevalent in the human hard tissue environments. There happens to be a variety of aqueous solutions or media developed for different purposes; sometimes they have been named as physiological saline, isotonic solution, cell culture solution, metastable CaP solution, supersaturated calcification solution, simulated body fluid or even dialysate solution (for dialysis patients). Most of the time such solutions were not used as the aqueous medium to perform the biomimetic synthesis of calcium phosphates, and their use was usually limited to the in vitro testing of synthetic biomaterials. This review illustrates that only a limited number of research studies used physiological solutions or media such as Earle's balanced salt solution, Bachra et al. solutions or Tris-buffered simulated body fluid solution containing 27mM HCO3(-) for synthesizing CaP, and these studies have consistently reported the formation of X-ray-amorphous CaP nanopowders instead of Ap-CaP or stoichiometric hydroxyapatite (HA, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) at 37°C and pH 7.4. By relying on the published articles, this review highlights the significance of the use of aqueous solutions containing 0.8-1.5 mMMg(2+), 22-27mM HCO3(-), 142-145mM Na(+), 5-5.8mM K(+), 103-133mM Cl(-), 1.8-3.75mM Ca(2+), and 0.8-1.67mM HPO4(2-), which essentially mimic the composition and the overall ionic strength of the human extracellular fluid (ECF), in forming the nanospheres of X-ray-amorphous CaP.

Differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells seeded on mineralized electrospun co-axial poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/gelatin nanofibers

Mineralized poly(ε-caprolactone)/gelatin core-shell nanofibers were prepared via co-axial electrospinning and subsequent incubation in biomimetic simulated body fluid containing ten times the calcium and phosphate ion concentrations found in human blood plasma. The deposition of calcium phosphate on the nanofiber surfaces was investigated through scanning electronic microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Energy dispersive spectroscopy results indicated that calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite had grown on the fibers. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis suggested the presence of hydroxyl-carbonate-apatite. The results of a viability assay (MTT) and alkaline phosphatase activity analysis suggested that these mineralized matrices promote osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) when cultured in an osteogenic medium and have the potential to be used as a scaffold in bone tissue engineering. hASCs cultured in the presence of nanofibers in endothelial differentiation medium showed lower rates of proliferation than cells cultured without the nanofibers. However, endothelial cell markers were detected in cells cultured in the presence of nanofibers in endothelial differentiation medium.

Nanofiber scaffolds with gradients in mineral content for spatial control of osteogenesis

Reattachment of tendon to bone has been a challenge in orthopedic surgery. The disparate mechanical properties of the two tissues make it difficult to achieve direct surgical repair of the tendon-to-bone insertion. Healing after surgical repair typically does not regenerate the natural attachment, a complex tissue that connects tendon and bone across a gradient in both mineral content and cell phenotypes. To facilitate the regeneration of the attachment, our groups have developed a nanofiber-based scaffold with a graded mineral coating to mimic the mineral composition of the native tendon-to-bone insertion. In the present work, we evaluated the ability of this scaffold to induce graded osteogenesis of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs). Results from 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and proliferating cell nuclear antigen staining indicated that cell proliferation was negatively correlated with the mineral content. In contrast, alkaline phosphatase staining, an indicator of osteogenesis, was positively correlated with the mineral content. Likewise, runt-related transcription factor 2 (an early marker of osteoblast differentiation) and osteocalcin (a late marker of osteoblast differentiation) immunostaining were both positively correlated with the mineral content. These results indicate that a gradient in mineral content on the surface of a nanofiber scaffold is capable of inducing graded differentiation of ASCs into osteoblasts for enthesis repair.

Calcium phosphate deposition rate, structure and osteoconductivity on electrospun poly(l-lactic acid) matrix using electrodeposition or simulated body fluid incubation

Mineralized nanofibrous scaffolds have been proposed as promising scaffolds for bone regeneration due to their ability to mimic both nanoscale architecture and chemical composition of natural bone extracellular matrix. In this study, a novel electrodeposition method was compared with an extensively explored simulated body fluid (SBF) incubation method in terms of the deposition rate, chemical composition and morphology of calcium phosphate formed on electrospun fibrous thin matrices with a fiber diameter in the range ~200-1400 nm prepared using 6, 8, 10 and 12 wt.% poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) solutions in a mixture of dichloromethane and acetone (2:1 in volume). The effects of the surface modification using the two mineralization techniques on osteoblastic cell (MC3T3-E1) proliferation and differentiation were also examined. It was found that electrodeposition was two to three orders of magnitude faster than the SBF method in mineralizing the fibrous matrices, reducing the mineralization time from ~2 weeks to 1h to achieve the same amounts of mineralization. The mineralization rate also varied with the fiber diameter but in opposite directions between the two mineralization methods. As a general trend, the increase of fiber diameter resulted in a faster mineralization rate for the electrodeposition method but a slower mineralization rate for the SBF incubation method. Using the electrodeposition method, one can control the chemical composition and morphology of the calcium phosphate by varying the electric deposition potential and electrolyte temperature to tune the mixture of dicalcium phosphate dihydrate and hydroxyapatite (HAp). Using the SBF method, one can only obtain a low crystallinity HAp. The mineralized electrospun PLLA fibrous matrices from either method similarly facilitate the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of preosteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells as compared to neat PLLA matrices. Therefore, the electrodeposition method can be utilized as a fast and versatile technique to fabricate mineralized nanofibrous scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

Rapid biomimetic mineralization of hydroxyapatite-g-PDLLA hybrid microspheres

Hydroxyapatite-graft-poly(D,L-lactide) (HA-g-PDLLA) nanoparticles were synthesized here to fabricate hybrid microspheres with diameter in the range of 150-200 μm by emulsion solvent evaporation techniques. The as-obtained microspheres were treated with alkaline solution in order to selectively degrade the PDLLA layer which covered on the surface of hybrid microspheres and instead to generate a dense coating of HA nanoparticles. The hybrid microspheres with enriched HA nanoparticles on the surface were further immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution to evaluate the bone-forming ability of the bioactive hybrid microspheres via the in vitro biomimetic mineralization process. The resultant microspheres were analyzed by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to understand the nucleation and growth of bioactive calcium phosphate (Ca-P) crystals as a function of surface treatment. Results in this work clearly demonstrated that the existing HA nanoparticles on the surface of hybrid microspheres after alkaline treatment greatly affect the growth of the bone-like Ca-P crystals in SBF solutions. The biomimetic hybrid microspheres were found to be excellent candidates for use as injectable scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.