Chitosan/calcium phosphate scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

This research involves synthesis and characterization of biodegradable 3-dimensional polymer/calcium phosphate hybrid matrices as scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration. The scaffolds are comprised of chitosan and calcium phosphates [β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), invert glass] and have combined optimum mechanical and biological properties of the two materials. Chitosan is a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer, and has rich hydroxyl groups for surface modification. Calcium phosphate crystals and invert glass are used as powder fillers to reinforce the scaffolds and increase bioactivity of the scaffolds. The scaffolds are fabricated using a thermally induced phase separation technique. The principal advantages of this technique are its low cost, low shrinkage levels, low sintering temperatures, and its ability to produce a variety of microstructures of various shapes and sizes. The osteoblast-like MG63 cells are seeded on the scaffolds to study the attachment and proliferation of the cells. The hydroxyl groups on the scaffolds are used to graft arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) peptides for promoting bone cell attachment and new tissue formation.