Clinoptilolite/PCL-PEG-PCL composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications
Journal of Biomaterials Applications
Published online on November 23, 2016
Abstract
The aim of this study was to prepare and characterize highly porous clinoptilolite/poly(-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(-caprolactone) composite scaffolds. Scaffolds with different clinoptilolite contents (10% and 20%) were fabricated with reproducible solvent-free powder compression/particulate leaching technique. The scaffolds had interconnective porosity in the range of 55–76%. Clinoptilolite/poly(-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(-caprolactone) scaffolds showed negligible degradation within eight weeks and displayed less water uptake and higher bioactivity than poly(-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(-caprolactone) scaffolds. The presence of clinoptilolite improved the mechanical properties. Highest compressive strength (5.6 MPa) and modulus (114.84 MPa) were reached with scaffold group containing 20% clinoptilolite. In vitro protein adsorption capacity of the scaffolds was also higher for clinoptilolite/poly(-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(-caprolactone) scaffolds. These scaffolds had 0.95 mg protein/g scaffold adsorption capacity and also higher osteoinductivity in terms of enhanced ALP, OSP activities and intracellular calcium deposition. Stoichiometric apatite deposition (Ca/P=1.686) was observed during cellular proliferation analysis with human fetal osteoblasts cells. Thus, it can be suggested that clinoptilolite/poly(-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(-caprolactone) composite scaffolds could be promising carriers for enhancement of bone regeneration in bone tissue engineering applications.