Dai, T., Ma, J., Ni, S. et al. (9 more authors) (2022) Attapulgite-doped electrospun PCL scaffolds for enhanced bone regeneration in rat cranium defects. Materials Science and Engineering C, 133. 112656. ISSN 0928-4931
Abstract
Electrospun PCL scaffolds have been widely used for tissue engineering as they have shown great potential to mimic the structure of the natural extracellular matrix (ECM). However, the small pore size and low bioactivity of the scaffolds limit cell migration and tissue formation. In this study, PCL (polycaprolactone), PCL/PEG (polyethylene glycol), and PCL/PEG/ATP (nano-attapulgite) scaffolds were fabricated via electrospinning. To increase the porosity of the scaffolds, they were washed to remove water-soluble PEG fibers. Then the porous structure was measured using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), which showed an increased porosity when PEG fibers were removed in PCL/PEG and PCL/PEG/ATP scaffolds. Moreover, the mechanical properties were also analyzed in dry and wet conditions. In vitro mouse multipotent mesenchymal precursor cells were used to assess the biocompatibility of the scaffolds, and osteogenesis was analyzed using CCK-8 and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) methods. Moreover, in vivo μCT, histological and immunohistochemical analyses were conducted to evaluate new bone formation in rat cranium defect models. Washed PCL/PEG/ATP scaffolds were implanted into the cranium defects in rats for 4 or 8 weeks, better cell infiltration was observed in these scaffolds than in unwashed ones. The result demonstrated that washed PCL/PEG/ATP scaffold facilitated the differentiation of MSCs into osteoblasts compared with PCL scaffold, as proved by the increased expression of osteogenic key genes as well as Smad1, Smad4, and Smad5. Furthermore, in vivo studies demonstrated that using the ATP-doped electrospun PCL scaffold can improve the bone regeneration of rat cranium defects. Particularly, the PCL/ATP-30% scaffold has the best effect compared to the other scaffolds. The enhanced osteogenesis and bone repair were related to the PCL/ATP activated BMP/Smad signaling pathway.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2022 Elsevier B.V. |
Keywords: | Attapulgite (ATP); Polyethylene glycol; Polycaprolactone; Electrospun scaffolds; Bone tissue engineering |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Engineering (Sheffield) > Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (Sheffield) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL EP/N007174/1 ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL EP/N023579/1 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 27 Jan 2022 16:49 |
Last Modified: | 03 Feb 2023 12:48 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.msec.2022.112656 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:183005 |