Effect of βTricalcium Phosphate Nanoparticles Additions on the Properties of Gelatin-Chitosan Scaffolds

Bone tissue engineering, using a synthetic porous scaffold material provides some distinct advantages over autografting and allografting, and it is a rapidly growing alternative approach to heal damaged bone tissue. The current study focuses on fabrication and characterization of nano β-TCP incorporated gelatin- chitosan based composite scaffold for bone regeneration at the sites of musculoskeletal defects and disorders. Gelatin-chitosan scaffold reinforced with beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) nanopowder was fabricated through freeze drying of material’s suspension. From powder X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer analysis the presence of phase pure β-TCP powders in gelatin-chitosan matrix was confirmed. Gelatin-Chitosan-β- TCP (GCT) scaffold exhibited a homogenouos porous structure with an average pore size of 118 ± 11 μm. Micro-CT image confirmed interconnected porous network with homogeneous distribution of β-TCP nanoparticles in Gelatin- Chitosan (GC) matrix. GCT scaffold showed higher compressive strength of 2.45 ± 0.15 MPa as compared to 1 MPa exhibited by neat GC scaffold. Protein adsorption capacity was increased to 22 mg/cc in GCT scaffold from 13 mg/ cc in GC scaffold. Weight loss of GCT scaffold was lower of 26% as compared to 47% in GC scaffold after 8 weeks of incubation in phosphate buffer solution of pH 7.4. Mesenchymal stem cells cultured onto GCT scaffold exhibited higher degree of lamellipodia and filopodia extensions and greater spreading onto GCT scaffold as compared to that in GC scaffold after 7 and 14 days of culture. MTT assay suggested higher degree of proliferation of MSCs cultured onto GCT scaffold as compared to that onto pure GC scaffolds. This study demonstrates that β-TCP incorporation into gelatin- chitosan matrix improved osteogenic potential of the scaffold suitable for bone tissue engineering