In vitro analysis of biodegradable polymer blend/hydroxyapatite composites for bone tissue engineering

• Published in: Journal of biomedical materials research 1999-12, Vol.47 (3), p.324-335
• Main Authors: Marra, Kacey G., Szem, Jeffrey W., Kumta, Prashant N., DiMilla, Paul A., Weiss, Lee E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; biodegradable; Biodegradation; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Bone; Bone Marrow Cells - cytology; Bone Marrow Cells - metabolism; Bone Substitutes - chemistry; Bone Substitutes - pharmacokinetics; Cell culture; Cells, Cultured; Diseases; Durapatite - chemistry; Durapatite - pharmacokinetics; Growth kinetics; hydroxyapatite; Lactic Acid - chemistry; Lactic Acid - pharmacokinetics; Medical sciences; Microscopy, Electron; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Orthopedic surgery; PLGA; poly(caprolactone); Polyesters - chemistry; Polyesters - pharmacokinetics; Polyglycolic Acid - chemistry; Polyglycolic Acid - pharmacokinetics; Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; Polymer blends; Polymers - chemistry; Polymers - pharmacokinetics; Psychophysiology; Rabbits; Scanning electron microscopy; Stress, Mechanical; Stromal Cells - cytology; Stromal Cells - metabolism; Stromal Cells - ultrastructure; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Time Factors; Tissue; tissue engineering; Transmission electron microscopy
• ISSN: 0021-9304; 1097-4636
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-4636(19991205)47:3<324::AID-JBM6>3.0.CO;2-Y

Blends of biodegradable polymers, poly(caprolactone) and poly(D,L‐lactic‐co‐glycolic acid), have been examined as scaffolds for applications in bone tissue engineering. Hydroxyapatite granules have been incorporated into the blends and porous discs were prepared. Mechanical properties and degradation rates in vitro of the composites were determined. The discs were seeded with rabbit bone marrow or cultured bone marrow stromal cells and incubated under physiological conditions. Polymer/ceramic scaffolds supported cell growth throughout the scaffold for 8 weeks. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and histological analyses were used to characterize the seeded composites. This study suggests the feasibility of using novel polymer/ceramic composites as scaffold in bone tissue engineering applications. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 47, 324–335, 1999.