Cranioplasty Using a Novel Osteoconductive Scaffold and Platelet Gel.

BACKGROUND: Commonly used materials for cranioplasty include autogenous bone grafts, methyl methacrylate, and titanium mesh. We evaluated a novel osteoconductive scaffold [N-isopropylacrylamide cross-linked with acrylic acid using γ-rays (ANa powder)] mixed with platelet gel for cranioplasty. METHODS: ANa powder mixed with platelet gel was implanted into a 15 × 15-mm, full-thickness calvarial bone defect in 5 New Zealand white rabbits. ANa powder mixed with phosphate-buffered saline was implanted in 5 rabbits. The calvarial bone defect was left unreconstructed in another 5 rabbits. Twelve weeks after surgery, computed tomography examination was used to evaluate the radiographic evidence of bone healing in vivo. Bone specimens were then retrieved for histologic study. RESULTS: The ANa scaffold mixed with platelet gel is biocompatible, biodegradable, and both osteoconductive and osteoinductive, leading to progressive growth of new bone into the calvarial bone defect. CONCLUSION: The use of this novel osteoconductive scaffold combined with osteoinductive platelet gel offers a valuable alternative for the reconstruction of calvarial bone defects.

Effects of Polypropylene Carbonate/Poly(D,L-lactic) Acid/Tricalcium Phosphate Elastic Composites on Improving Osteoblast Maturation.

Bone tissue engineering utilizing biomaterials to improve osteoblast growth has provided de novo consideration for therapy of bone diseases. Polypropylene carbonate (PPC) is a polymer with a low glass transition temperature but high elasticity. In this study, we developed a new PPC-derived composite by mixing poly-lactic acid (PLA) and tricalcium phosphate (TCP), called PPC/PLA/TCP elastic (PPTE) scaffolds. We also evaluated the beneficial effects of PPTE composites on osteoblast growth and maturation and the possible mechanisms. Compared to PPC polymers, PPTE composites had similar pore sizes and porosities but possessed better hydrophilic surface structures. Biological evaluations further revealed that PPTE composites attracted adhesion of mouse osteoblasts, and these bone cells extended along the porous scaffolds to produce accurate fibroblast-like morphologies. In parallel, seeding mouse osteoblasts onto PPTE composites time-dependently increased cell growth. Sequentially, PPTE composites augmented DNA replication and cell proliferation. Consequently, PPTE composites significantly improved osteoblast mineralization. As to the mechanism, treatment with PPTE composites induced osteopontin (OPN) mRNA and protein expression and alkaline phosphatase activity. Taken together, this study showed that PPTE composites with porous and hydrophilic surfaces can stimulate osteoblast adhesion, proliferation, and maturation through an OPN-dependent mechanism. Therefore, the de novo PPTE scaffolds may have biomaterial potential for bone regeneration.

Birefringence control of semicrystalline block copolymers by crystallization under confinement.

A series of semicrystalline block copolymers (BCPs), poly(4-vinylpyridine)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) (P4VP-PCL), with lamellar phases have been synthesized. P4VP-PCL BCP thin films with large-scale, oriented lamellar microdomains were obtained by rimming coating process followed by oscillated shearing using a homemade shear device. Owing to the vitrified P4VP microdomains and strongly segregated microphase separation, specific PCL crystalline chain orientation can be formed from the growth of anisotropic PCL crystallites under confinement so as to uniformly increase the birefringence of the BCP thin films. The enhanced birefringence corresponds well with the increase of PCL crystallinity. Consequently, the birefringence of the P4VP-PCL thin-films can be fine-tuned by PCL crystallization. The variation on the birefringence of the BCP thin films attributed to crystallization and melting is a reversible process with respect to temperature. The BCP thin films can thus be used as temperature-stimulated materials with controllable birefringence via crystallization kinetics.