Nanofibrous polycaprolactone/gelatin scaffold containing gold nanoparticles: Physicochemical and biological characterization for wound healing.

In this study, gold nanoparticles were loaded into poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/gelatin nanofibrous matrices to fabricate a potential wound dressing. The mats were produced by electrospinning of PCL/gelatin solution supplemented with synthesized gold nanoparticles (200, 400 and 800 ppm). Prepared scaffolds were investigated regarding their chemical properties, morphology, mechanical properties, surface wettability, water-uptake capacity, water vapor permeability, porosity, blood compatibility, microbial penetration test and cellular response. In addition to in vivo study, a full-thickness excisional wound in a rat model was used to evaluate the healing effect of prepared scaffolds. Results showed appropriate mechanical properties and porosity of prepared scaffolds. With L929 cells, the PCL/gelatin scaffold containing 400 ppm gold nanoparticles demonstrated the greatest cell growth. In vivo results validated the favorable wound-healing benefits of the scaffold incorporating gold nanoparticles, which triggered wound healing compared to sterile gauze. Our results showed the capability of nanofibrous matrices containing gold nanoparticles for successful wound treatment.

From 3D printing to 3D bioprinting: the material properties of polymeric material and its derived bioink for achieving tissue specific architectures.

The application of 3D printing technologies fields for biological tissues, organs, and cells in the context of medical and biotechnology applications requires a significant amount of innovation in a narrow printability range. 3D bioprinting is one such way of addressing critical design challenges in tissue engineering. In a more general sense, 3D printing has become essential in customized implant designing, faithful reproduction of microenvironmental niches, sustainable development of implants, in the capacity to address issues of effective cellular integration, and long-term stability of the cellular constructs in tissue engineering. This review covers various aspects of 3D bioprinting, describes the current state-of-the-art solutions for all aforementioned critical issues, and includes various illustrative representations of technologies supporting the development of phases of 3D bioprinting. It also demonstrates several bio-inks and their properties crucial for being used for 3D printing applications. The review focus on bringing together different examples and current trends in tissue engineering applications, including bone, cartilage, muscles, neuron, skin, esophagus, trachea, tympanic membrane, cornea, blood vessel, immune system, and tumor models utilizing 3D printing technology and to provide an outlook of the future potentials and barriers.

Bone regeneration in rat using polycaprolactone/gelatin/epinephrine scaffold.

Solid supports like the extracellular matrix network are necessary for bone cell attachment and start healing in the damaged bone. Scaffolds which are made of different materials are widely used as a supportive structure in bone tissue engineering. In the current study, a 3D polycaprolactone/gelatin bone scaffold was developed by blending electrospinning and freeze-drying techniques for bone tissue engineering. To improve the efficiency of the scaffold, different concentrations of epinephrine (EP) due to its effect on bone healing were loaded. Fabricated scaffolds were characterized by different tests such as surface morphology, FTIR, porosity, compressive strength, water contact angle, and degradation rate. The interaction between prepared scaffolds and blood and cells was evaluated by hemolysis, and MTT test, respectively, and bone healing was evaluated by a rat calvaria defect model. Based on the results, the porosity of scaffolds was about 75% and by adding EP, mechanical strength decreased while due to the hydrophilic properties of it, degradation rate increased. In vivo and in vitro studies showed the best cell proliferation and bone healing were in PCL/gelatin/EP1% treated group. These results showed the positive effect of fabricated scaffold on osteogenesis and bone healing and the possibility of using it in clinical trials.

Kaolin-loaded chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol electrospun scaffold as a wound dressing material: in vitro and in vivo studies.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the application of a fabricated dressing containing kaolin for skin regeneration in a rat model of excisional wounds. METHOD: In the present study, kaolin was loaded into electrospun polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/chitosan polymer blend to develop a composite nanofibrous dressing. To make the yarns, kaolin with weight ratio of 5% was added to PVA/chitosan polymer blend and subsequently formed into nanofibres using the electrospinning method. Scaffolds were evaluated for to their microstructure, mechanical properties, surface wettability, water vapour transmission rate, water-uptake capacity, blood uptake capacity, blood compatibility, microbial penetration test, the number of colonies, and cellular response with the L929 cell line. Rats with full-thickness excisional wounds were treated with kaolin-containing and kaolin-free dressings. RESULTS: The study showed that rats treated with the kaolin-incorporated mats demonstrated a significant closure to nearly 97.62±4.81% after 14 days compared with PVA/chitosan and the sterile gauze, which showed 86.15±8.11% and 78.50±4.22% of wound closure, respectively. The histopathological studies showed that in the PVA/chitosan/kaolin group, dense and regular collagen fibres were formed, while wounds treated with sterile gauze or PVA/chitosan scaffolds had random and loose collagen fibres. CONCLUSION: Our results show the potential applicability of PVA/chitosan/kaolin scaffolds as a wound care material.

Alginate/chitosan hydrogel containing olfactory ectomesenchymal stem cells for sciatic nerve tissue engineering.

Regeneration and functional recovery after peripheral nerve damage still remain a significant clinical problem. In this study, alginate/chitosan (alg/chit) hydrogel was used for the transplantation of olfactory ectomesenchymal stem cells (OE-MSCs) to promote peripheral nerve regeneration. The OE-MSCs were isolated from olfactory mucosa biopsies and evaluated by different cell surface markers and differentiation capacity. After creating sciatic nerve injury in a rat model, OE-MSCs were transplanted to the injured area with alg/chit hydrogel which was prepared and well-characterized. The prepared hydrogel had the porosity of 91.3 ± 1.27%, the swelling ratio of 379% after 240 min, weight loss percentages of 80 ± 5.56% after 14 days, and good blood compatibility. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole, and LIVE/DEAD staining were done to assay the behavior of OE-MSCs on alg/chit hydrogel and the results confirmed that the hydrogel can provide a suitable substrate for cell survival. For functional analysis, alg/chit hydrogel with and without OE- MSCs was injected into a 3-mm sciatic nerve defect of Wistar rats. The results of the sciatic functional index, hot plate latency, electrophysiological assessment, weight-loss percentage of wet gastrocnemius muscle, and histopathological examination using hematoxylin-eosin and Luxol fast blue staining showed that utilizing alg/chit hydrogel with OE-MSCs to the sciatic nerve defect enhance regeneration compared to the control group and hydrogel without cells.

Extracellular micro/nanovesicles rescue kidney from ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Acute renal failure (ARF) is a clinical challenge that is highly resistant to treatment, and its high rate of mortality is alarming. Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is the most common cause of ARF. Especially IRI is implicated in kidney transplantation and can determine graft survival. Although the exact pathophysiology of renal IRI is unknown, the role of inflammatory responses has been elucidated. Because mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have strong immunomodulatory properties, they are under extensive investigation as a therapeutic modality for renal IRI. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play an integral role in cell-to-cell communication. Because the regenerative potential of the MSCs can be recapitulated by their EVs, the therapeutic appeal of MSC-derived EVs has dramatically increased in the past decade. Higher safety profile and ease of preservation without losing function are other advantages of EVs compared with their producing cells. In the current review, the preliminary results and potential of MSC-derived EVs to alleviate kidney IRI are summarized. We might be heading toward a cell-free approach to treat renal IRI.

Sciatic nerve regeneration by using collagen type I hydrogel containing naringin.

In the present study, collagen hydrogel containing naringin was fabricated, characterized and used as the scaffold for peripheral nerve damage treatment. The collagen was dissolved in acetic acid, naringin added to the collagen solution, and cross-linked with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide powder (EDC; 0.10 mM) to form the hydrogel. The microstructure, swelling behavior, biodegradation, and cyto/hemocompatibility of the fabricated hydrogels were assessed. Finally, the healing efficacy of the prepared collagen hydrogel loaded with naringin on the sciatic nerve crush injury was assessed in the animal model. The characterization results showed that the fabricated hydrogels have a porous structure containing interconnected pores with the average pore size of 90 µm. The degradation results demonstrated that about 70% of the primary weight of the naringin loaded hydrogel had been lost after 4 weeks of storage in PBS. The in vitro study showed that the proliferation of Schwann cells on the collagen/naringin hydrogel was higher than the control group (tissue culture plate) at both 48 and 72 h after cell seeding and even significantly higher than pure collagen 72 h after cell seeding (*p < 0.005, **p < 0.001). The animal study implied that the sciatic functional index reached to -22.13 ± 3.00 at the end of 60th days post-implantation which was statistically significant (p < 0.05) compared with the negative control (injury without the treatment) (-82.60 ± 1.06), and the pure collagen hydrogel (-59.80 ± 3.20) groups. The hot plate latency test, the compound muscle action potential, and wet weight-loss of the gastrocnemius muscle evaluation confirmed the positive effect of the prepared hydrogels on the healing process of the induced nerve injury. In the final, the histopathologic examinations depicted that the collagen/naringin hydrogel group reduced all the histological changes induced from the nerve injury and showed more resemblance to the normal sciatic nerve, with well-arranged fibers and intact myelin sheath. The overall results implied that the prepared collagen/naringin hydrogel can be utilized as a sophisticated alternative to healing peripheral nerve damages.

Assessing the efficacy of curcumin-loaded alginate hydrogel on skin wound healing: A gene expression analysis.

Skin tissue engineering has gained significant attention as a promising alternative to traditional treatments for skin injuries. In this study, we developed 3D hydrogel-based scaffolds, Alginate, incorporating different concentrations of Curcumin and evaluated their properties, including morphology, swelling behavior, weight loss, as well as hemo- and cytocompatibility. Furthermore, we investigated the therapeutic potential of Alginate hydrogel containing different amounts of Curcumin using an in vitro wound healing model. The prepared hydrogels exhibited remarkable characteristics, SEM showed that the pore size of hydrogels was 134.64 µm with interconnected pores, making it conducive for cellular infiltration and nutrient exchange. Moreover, hydrogels demonstrated excellent biodegradability, losing 63.5% of its weight over 14 days. In addition, the prepared hydrogels had a stable release of curcumin for 3 days. The results also show the hemocompatibility of prepared hydrogels and a low amount of blood clotting. To assess the efficacy of the developed hydrogels, 3T3 fibroblast growth was examined during various incubation times. The results indicated that the inclusion of Curcumin at a concentration of 0.1 mg/mL positively influenced cellular behavior. The animal study showed that Alginate hydrogel containing 0.1 mg/mL curcumin had high wound closure(more than 80%) after 14 days. In addition, it showed up-regulation of essential wound healing genes, including TGFß1 and VEGF, promoting tissue repair and angiogenesis. Furthermore, the treated group exhibited down-regulation of MMP9 gene expression, indicating a reduction in matrix degradation and inflammation. The observed cellular responses and gene expression changes substantiate the therapeutic efficacy of prepared hydrogels. Consequently, our study showed the healing effect of alginate-based hydrogel containing Curcumin on skin injuries.

Evaluation effect of alginate hydrogel containing losartan on wound healing and gene expression.

Skin tissue engineering has become an increasingly popular alternative to conventional treatments for skin injuries. Hydrogels, owing to their advantages have become the ideal option for wound dressing, and they are extensively employed in a mixture of different drugs to accelerate wound healing. Sodium alginate is a readily available natural polymer with advantages such as bio-compatibility and a non-toxicological nature that is commonly used in hydrogel form for medical applications such as wound repair and drug delivery in skin regenerative medicine. Losartan is a medicine called angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) that can prevent fibrosis by inhibiting AT1R (angiotensin II type 1 receptor). In this research, for the first time, three-dimensional scaffolds based on cross-linked alginate hydrogel with CaCl2 containing different concentrations of losartan for slow drug release and exudate absorption were prepared and characterized as wound dressing. Alginate hydrogel was mixed with 10, 1, 0.1, and 0.01 mg/mL of losartan, and their properties such as morphology, chemical structure, water uptake properties, biodegradability, stability assay, rheology, blood compatibility, and cellular response were evaluated. In addition, the therapeutic efficiency of the developed hydrogels was then assessed in an in vitro wound healing model and with a gene expression. The results revealed that the hydrogel produced was very porous (porosity of 47.37 ± 3.76 µm) with interconnected pores and biodegradable (weight loss percentage of 60.93 ± 4.51% over 14 days). All hydrogel formulations have stability under various conditions. The use of CaCl2 as a cross-linker led to an increase in the viscosity of alginate hydrogels. An in vitro cell growth study revealed that no cytotoxicity was observed at the suggested dosage of the hydrogel. Increases in Losartan dosage, however, caused hemolysis. In vivo study in adult male rats with a full-thickness model showed greater than 80% improvement of the primary wound region after 2 weeks of treatment with alginate hydrogel containing 0.1 mg/mL Losartan. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry analysis showed a decrease in expression level of TGF-ß1 and VEGF in treatment groups. Histological analysis demonstrated that the alginate hydrogel containing Losartan can be effective in wound repair by decreasing the size of the scar and tissue remodeling, as evidenced by future in vivo studies.

Combining Cell Technologies With Biomimetic Tissue Engineering Applications: A New Paradigm for Translational Cardiovascular Therapies.

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and, to date, the clinically available prostheses still present several limitations. The design of next-generation regenerative replacements either based on cellular or extracellular matrix technologies can address these shortcomings. Therefore, tissue engineered constructs could potentially become a promising alterative to the current therapeutic options for patients with cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we selectively present an overview of the current tissue engineering tools such as induced pluripotent stem cells, biomimetic materials, computational modeling, and additive manufacturing technologies, with a focus on their application to translational cardiovascular therapies. We discuss how these advanced technologies can help the development of biomimetic tissue engineered constructs and we finally summarize the latest clinical evidence for their use, and their potential therapeutic outcome.

A novel hydrogel containing 4-methylcatechol for skin regeneration: in vitro and in vivo study.

Skin damages are usual physical injuries and different studies have been done to improve wound healing. Hydrogel due to its properties like a moist environment and cooling wound site is a good option for wound treatment. In this study, we evaluated the consequence of using alginate/chitosan hydrogel contained various dosages of 4-Methylcatechol (0, 0.1, 1% (W/W)) on wound healing. After hydrogel fabrication, different tests like SEM, swelling, release, weight loss, and hemo- and cytocompatibility were done to characterize fabricated hydrogels. Finally, the rat model was used to assess Alginate/Chitosan hydrogel's therapeutic function containing 0.1 and 1% of 4-Methylcatechol. The pore size of hydrogel was between 24.5 ± 9 and 62.1 ± 11.63 µm and about 90% of hydrogel was lost after 14 days in the weight loss test. Blood compatibility and MTT assay showed that hydrogels were nontoxic and improved cell proliferation. In vivo test showed that Alginate/Chitosan/0.1%4-Methylcatechol improved wound healing and the results were significantly better than the gauze-treated wound. Our results showed dose depending effect of 4-Methylcatechol on wound healing. This study shows the treatment effect of 4-Methylcatechol on wound healing and the possibility of using it for treating skin injuries.

Applications of acellular human amniotic membrane in regenerative medicine.

The human amniotic membrane (hAM) surrounds and protects the fetus. It mainly consists of a thick basement membrane and an avascular stromal matrix. The structural, physical, and biological properties of AM make it a wonderful choice to use in regenerative medicine applications. This review discusses recent applications of hAM in skin transplantation and wound healing, ophthalmology, orthopedics, cell culture matrix, cell delivery system, cardiac injury, male and female reproductive systems, and liver. Moreover, an overview is presented on the advantages and disadvantages of using hAM and some methods to systematically refine and standardize hAM preparation.

Bioengineered 3D nanocomposite based on gold nanoparticles and gelatin nanofibers for bone regeneration: in vitro and in vivo study.

The main aim of the present study was to fabricate 3D scaffold based on poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA)/Polycaprolactone (PCL) matrix polymer containing gelatin nanofibers (GNFs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as the scaffold for bone tissue engineering application. AuNPs were synthesized via the Turkevich method as the osteogenic factor. GNFs were fabricated by the electrospinning methods and implemented into the scaffold as the extracellular matrix mimicry structure. The prepared AuNPs and Gel nanofibers were composited by PLLA/PCL matrix polymer and converted to a 3D scaffold using thermal-induced phase separation. SEM imaging illustrated the scaffold's porous structure with a porosity range of 80-90% and a pore size range of 80 to 130 µm. The in vitro studies showed that the highest concentration of AuNPs (160 ppm) induced toxicity and 80 ppm AuNPs exhibited the highest cell proliferation. The in vivo studies showed that PCL/PLLA/Gel/80ppmAuNPs induced the highest neo-bone formation, osteocyte in lacuna woven bone formation, and angiogenesis in the defect site. In conclusion, this study showed that the prepared scaffold exhibited suitable properties for bone tissue engineering in terms of porosity, pore size, mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and osteoconduction activities.

Accelerating healing of excisional wound with alginate hydrogel containing naringenin in rat model.

Wounds have always been considered as one of the most common physical damages. Therefore, various researches have been conducted to find an appropriate method to improve wound healing process. Among various materials, since hydrogels have appropriate properties for wound healing, they are widely used for this purpose. In this study, to develop a potential wound dressing, different concentrations of naringenin (0%, 1%, 10% and 20%) were incorporated in alginate hydrogel followed by evaluating its characters such as morphology, swelling properties, weight loss, antibacterial activity, releasing profile of the naringenin, hemo-, and cytocompatibility. Finally, to evaluate the effect of developed hydrogels on wound healing, the full-thickness dermal wound model in rat was used. Our results provided that the prepared hydrogels have appropriate porosity (86.7 ± 5.3%) with the interconnected pores. Moreover, weight loss assessment confirmed that fabricated hydrogels have suitable biodegradability (about 89% after 14 days). MTT assay also revealed the positive effect of hydrogels on cell viabilities, and they have no toxicity effect on cells. In vivo study indicated that the prepared hydrogels had better wound closure than the gauze-treated wound (the control), and alginate/20% naringenin group had the best wound closure among other groups. All in all, this study concluded that alginate/naringenin hydrogel has positive effect on wound healing process, and it can be used to treat skin injuries in the clinic. Graphical abstract.

Fabrication and Characterization of Nanofibrous Poly (L-Lactic Acid)/Chitosan-Based Scaffold by Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation Technique for Nerve Tissue Engineering.

Fabrication method is one of the essential factors which directly affect on the properties of scaffold. Several techniques have been well established to fabricate nanofibrous scaffolds such as electrospinning. However, preparing a three-dimensional (3-D) interconnected macro-pore scaffold essential for transporting the cell metabolites and nutrients is difficult using the electrospinning method. The main aim of this study was developing a highly porous scaffold by poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA)/chitosan blend using liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) technique, a fast and cost-benefit method, in order to use in nerve tissue engineering. In addition, the effect of different polymeric concentrations on morphology, mechanical properties, hydrophilicity, in vitro degradation rate and pH alteration of the scaffolds were evaluated. Moreover, cell attachment, cell viability and cell proliferation of scaffolds as candidates for nerve tissue engineering was investigated. PLLA/chitosan blend not only had desirable structural properties, porosity, hydrophilicity, mechanical properties, degradation rate and pH alteration but also provided a favorable environment for attachment, viability, and proliferation of human neuroblastoma cells, exhibiting significant potential for nerve tissue engineering applications. However, the polymeric concentration in blend fabrication had influence on both characteristics and cell responses. It concluded that PLLA/chitosan nanofibrous 3-D scaffold fabricated by LLPS method as a suitable candidate for nerve tissue engineering.

Improving sciatic nerve regeneration by using alginate/chitosan hydrogel containing berberine.

Peripheral nerve injuries are the common results of trauma that lead to pain and handicap in patients. Berberine due to its properties like antibiotic, immunostimulant, antitumor, antimotility, and positive effect on neurological disorders can be used to enhance peripheral nerve injuries. In this study, alginate/chitosan hydrogel containing different concentrations of berberine (0, 0.1, 1, 10% (w/v)) was created, evaluated, and applied as a scaffold for sciatic nerve regeneration. To prepare hydrogel, sodium alginate was dissolved in distilled water and cross-linked with CaCl2, and chitosan was dissolved in acetic acid and cross-linked with ß-glycerol phosphate. The structure, release, swelling, weight loss, cytocompatibility, and hemocompatibility of the prepared hydrogels were assessed. The sciatic nerve crush was created in rats and fabricated hydrogels were injected, and functional analysis was used to evaluate their effectiveness. The results of physical characterization of the hydrogel indicated that the initial average pore size was about 39 µm and about 70% of the main weight of hydrogels was lost after incubation for 21 days and hemocompatibility of hydrogels was also confirmed. The MTT assay showed the cytocompatiblity of hydrogels and also indicated that berberine has dose-dependence effect on cell proliferation. The in vivo results showed the positive effect of berberine especially the hydrogel contained 1% of berberine on regeneration of sciatic nerve. Based on this study, Alg/Chit hydrogel can be applied as a treatment to heal peripheral nerve injuries. Graphical abstract.

A promising wound dressing based on alginate hydrogels containing vitamin D3 cross-linked by calcium carbonate/d-glucono-δ-lactone.

In the present study, we fabricated vitamin D3-loaded alginate hydrogel and assessed its wound healing capability in the animal model. The various concentrations of vitamin D3 were added to the pre-dissolved sodium alginate in deionized water and cross-linked by calcium carbonate in combination with d-glucono-δ-lactone. The microstructure, swelling behavior, weight loss, hemo- and cytocompatibility of the fabricated hydrogels were evaluated. In the last stage, the therapeutic efficacy of the prepared hydrogels was evaluated in the full-thickness dermal wound model. The scanning electron microscopy images showed that the prepared hydrogel was highly porous with the porosity of 89.2 ± 12.5% and contained the interconnected pores. Weight loss assessment showed that the prepared hydrogel is biodegradable with the weight loss percentage of about 89% in 14 days. The results showed that the prepared hydrogels were hemo- and cytocompatible. The animal study results implied that alginate hydrogel/3000 IU vitamin D3 group exhibited the highest wound closure present which was statistically significant than the control group (p < 0.05). Moreover, the histological examinations revealed that hydrogel containing 3000 IU vitamin D3 had the best performance and induced the highest re-epithelialization and granular tissue formation. All in all, this study suggests that alginate hydrogels with 3000 IU vitamin D3 can be exploited as a potential wound dressing in skin tissue engineering.

A collagen-based hydrogel containing tacrolimus for bone tissue engineering.

Bone tissue engineering aims to develop bone graft structure that can heal bone defects without using autografts or allografts. The current study was conducted to promote bone regeneration using a collagen type I hydrogel containing tacrolimus. For this purpose, different amounts of tacrolimus (10 µg/ml, 100 µg/ml, and 1000 µg/ml) were loaded into the hydrogel. The resulting drug-loaded hydrogels were characterized for their porosity, swelling capacity, weight loss, drug release, blood compatibility, and cell proliferation (MTT). For functional analysis, the developed hydrogel surrounded by a film made of gelatin and polycaprolactone (PCL) was administrated in the calvarias defect of Wistar rats. The results indicated that the hydrogel has a porosity of 89.2 ± 12.5% and an appropriate swelling, drug release, and blood compatibility behavior. The in vitro results indicated that the collagen hydrogel containing 1000 µg tacrolimus was adequate in terms of cell proliferation. Finally, in vivo studies provided some evidence of the potential of the developed hydrogel for bone healing.

A tailored polylactic acid/polycaprolactone biodegradable and bioactive 3D porous scaffold containing gelatin nanofibers and Taurine for bone regeneration.

The focus of the current study was to develop a functional and bioactive scaffold through the combination of 3D polylactic acid (PLA)/polycaprolactone (PCL) with gelatin nanofibers (GNFs) and Taurine (Tau) for bone defect regeneration. GNFs were fabricated via electrospinning dispersed in PLA/PCL polymer solution, Tau with different concentrations was added, and the polymer solution converted into a 3D and porous scaffold via the thermally-induced phase separation technique. The characterization results showed that the scaffolds have interconnected pores with the porosity of up to 90%. Moreover, Tau increased the wettability and weight loss rate, while compromised the compressive strengths. The scaffolds were hemo- and cytocompatible and supported cell viability and proliferation. The in vivo studies showed that the defects treated with scaffolds filled with new bone. The computed tomography (CT) imaging and histopathological observation revealed that the PLA/PCL/Gel/Tau 10% provided the highest new bone formation, angiogenesis, and woven bone among the treatment groups. Our finding illustrated that the fabricated scaffold was able to regenerate bone within the defect and can be considered as the effective scaffold for bone tissue engineering application.

Sophisticated polycaprolactone/gelatin nanofibrous nerve guided conduit containing platelet-rich plasma and citicoline for peripheral nerve regeneration: In vitro and in vivo study.

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a devastating condition that may result in loss of sensory function, motor function, or both. In the present study, we construct an electrospun nerve guide conduit (NGC) based on polycaprolactone (PCL) and gelatin filled with citicoline bearing platelet-rich plasma (PRP) gel as a treatment for PNI. The NGCs fabricated from PCL/Gel polymeric blend using the electrospinning technique. The characterizations demonstrated that the fabricated nanofibers were straight with the diameter of 708 ±â€¯476 nm, the water contact angle of 78.30 ±â€¯2.52°, the weight loss of 41.60 ±â€¯6.94% during 60 days, the tensile strength of 5.31 ±â€¯0.97 MPa, and the young's modulus of 3.47 ±â€¯0.10 GPa. The in vitro studies revealed that the PCL/Gel/PRP/Citi NGC was biocompatible and hemocompatible. The in vivo studies conducted on sciatic nerve injury in rats showed that the implantation of PCL/Gel/PRP/Citi NGC induced regeneration of nerve tissue, demonstrated with histopathological assessments. Moreover, the sciatic function index (SFI) value of -30.3 ±â€¯3.5 and hot plate latency time of 6.10 ±â€¯1.10 s revealed that the PCL/Gel/PRP/Citi NGCs recovered motor and sensory functions. Our findings implied that the fabricated NGC exhibited promising physicochemical and biological activates favorable for PNI treatment.