Preparation and antibacterial evaluation of a beta-tricalcium phosphate/collagen nanofiber biomimetic composite scaffold

Abstract The collagen-based grafts currently available do not provide structural guidance for cell growth due to the high water solubility and fast degradation of collagen (Col) and are susceptible to bacterial infection after implantation. We fabricated a parallel-aligned beta-tricalcium phosphate/collagen (β-TCP/Col) composite nanofiber scaffolds with similar microstructure to natural bone matrix membrane. We tested the effects of different electrospinning parameters (spinning voltage, receiving distance, advancing speed, and rotation speed of the drum) on the morphology and structure of the nanofibers to determine the optimal parameter setting. The fabricated scaffold was crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (GA) to lower the water solubility and degradation rate of Col. The scaffold was capable of promoting biomimetic apatite-like mineral deposition in vitro to form a mineral-nanofiber composite, which can be beneficial for promoting bone integration during bone repair. The scaffold not only has good bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) compatibility, but also shows a strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E.coli) to lower the risk of bacterial infections after implantation. This composite nanofiber scaffold provides a new bioactive bone scaffold material for bone defect repair with an antibacterial activity.