Electrospun biodegradable scaffolds based on poly (ε-caprolactone)/gelatin containing titanium dioxide for bone tissue engineering application; in vitro study

Abstract In this study, Poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/Gelatin/TiO2 nanofibrous scaffolds were prepared using electrospinning. The effects of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) addition on morphology, mechanical, chemical, thermal, and cellular behavior, and antibacterial properties of PCL/gelatin scaffolds were investigated. Different amounts of TiO2 NPs (0.06, 0.6, and 1 w/v %) were incorporated into the polymer blend to form a homogenous nanocomposite solution. The experimental results exhibited that the hydrophilicity of the scaffolds was improved by incorporating TiO2 NPs, as shown by the water contact angle measurement. Also, the mechanical and thermal behaviors of fabricated scaffolds were enhanced. Moreover, Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) were used to investigate the bioactivity and biocompatibility of scaffolds. The MTT assay results showed no toxicity effect for scaffolds. However, releasing reactive oxygen at the highest concentration of TiO2 was remarkably increased, resulting in cell toxicity. Hybridizing biopolymer with TiO2 nanoparticles improves its bone regeneration capability. Thereby, incorporating an optimum amount of TiO2 NPs into PCL/Gelatin composites could be a promising approach for bone tissue engineering applications. Graphical Abstract