Synthetic Three-Dimensional Scaffold for Application in the Regeneration of Bone Tissue

Bone tissue engineering aims to use biodegrade able scaffolds to replace damaged tissue. This scaffold must be gradually degraded and replaced by tissue as similar as possible to the original one. In this work a hybrid porous scaffold containing chitosan, polyvinyl alcohol and bioactive glass was successfully obtained and subsequently characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The scaffold presented satisfactory pore size range and open interconnected pores, which are essential for tissue ingrowth. A cytotoxicity assay showed that this biomaterial allows adequate cell viability, so that it was considered suitable for an in vivo experiment. Promising results were obtained with the implant of the scaffold in an experimental model of a New Zealand rabbit femur bone lesion. Clinical and biochemical parameters measured such as complete blood count, total serum proteins, albumin, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were similar between animals in the control group at all time periods studied. Histological and histometric studies showed that the scaffold was coated with a cement-like substance, exhibiting many areas of mineralized structures. Very few osteocyte-like cells or lining-like cells were found inside the amorphous mineralized deposit. In vivo results allow us to consider this scaffold as a promising biomaterial to be applied in bone tissue engineering.