• Han, Sung Soo
• Purohit, Shiv Dutt
• Bhaskar, Rakesh

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>In this study, chitosan-gelatin-monetite (CGM)-based electrospun scaffolds have been developed that closely mimicked the microstructure and chemical composition of the extracellular matrix of natural bone. CGM-based nanofibrous composite scaffolds were prepared with the help of the electrospinning technique, post-cross-linked using ethyl(dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide and N-hydroxysuccinimide solution to improve their stability in an aqueous environment. The prepared chitosan/gelatin (CG) scaffold showed an average fiber diameter of 308 ± 17 nm, whereas 5 and 7 wt% monetite containing CGM<jats:sub>5</jats:sub> and CGM<jats:sub>7</jats:sub> scaffolds, exhibited an average fiber diameter of 287 ± 13 and 265 ± 9 nm, respectively, revealing the fine distribution of monetite particles on the fibrous surface. The distribution of monetite nanoparticles onto the CG nanofibrous surface was confirmed using x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, and EDAX. Moreover, the addition of 7 wt% monetite into the CG electrospun matrix increased their ultimate tensile strength from 7.62 ± 0.13 MPa in the CG scaffold to 14.34 ± 0.39 MPa in the CGM<jats:sub>7</jats:sub> scaffold. Simulated body fluid study and staining with alizarin red S (ARS) confirmed the higher mineralization ability of monetite-containing scaffolds compared to that revealed by the CG scaffold. The monetite incorporation into the CG matrix improved its osteogenic properties, including pre-osteoblast MG-63 cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation, when seeded with the cells. A higher degree of cellular adhesion, spreading, and migration was observed on the monetite-incorporated CG scaffold than that on the CG scaffold. From 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) MTT assay, alkaline phosphatase activity, ARS staining, and immunocytochemistry study, the cultured cells discovered a more conducive microenvironment to proliferate and subsequently differentiate into osteoblast lineage in contact with CGM<jats:sub>7</jats:sub> nanofibers rather than that in CGM<jats:sub>0</jats:sub> and CGM<jats:sub>5</jats:sub>. <jats:italic>In-vitro</jats:italic> results indicated that electrospun CGM-based composite scaffolds could be used as a potential candidate to repair and regenerate new bone tissues.</jats:p>

Topics

• nanoparticle
• microstructure
• surface
• x-ray diffraction
• strength
• composite
• chemical composition
• Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy
• tensile strength
• electrospinning
• bioactivity