Hybrid Nanostructures for Bone Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Natural bone is composed of natural polymers, collagen fibers and nano-crystals of minerals, mainly nano-hydroxyapatite (HA). Bone cells, which maintain the activities and metabolism of bone, are supported by and interact with this organic-inorganic hybrid matrix. Artificial bone tissue scaffolds mimicking the natural bone's extracellular matrix based on synthetic hybrid cellulose acetate (CA)-hydroxyapatite nano-composites were fabricated in this work in 3D matrix architecture for bone cell regeneration, using a single step nano-manufacturing technique. Cultured human osteoblasts were seeded on CA and CA-HA scaffolds, after which cell proliferative capacity and viability were studied using complementary assays. The interactions between the cells and the scaffolds were further characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Osteoblasts grown on these scaffolds appear to interact strongly with nano-HA clusters, resulting in cell growth and phenotype retention. The hybrids scaffolds used are shown to be ideal bone repair agents.