Fabrication and characterization of covalently functionalized poly caprolactone scaffold for bone tissue engineering application

Background: Healing bone involves osteoconductive and osteoinductive components as well as a scaffold with adequate porosity to allow good cell infiltration. M aterials and Methods: Herein, cytocompatibility and osteogenic induction potential of polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibrous electrospun scaffold with different electron microscopy, MTT assay, DAPI and alizarin porosities (35%-90%) and chemical bonding was assessed through scanning red S staining, calcium content and alkaline phosphatase assay. Moreover, the relative expression of three important osteogenic-related genes Col I, RUNX 2 and osteocalcin was studied. R es ults: Covalent bonding played a more significant osteogenic role in scaffolds in scaffolds with lower porosity, namely H35cov. Although low porosity limits cell infiltration, substrate with lower porosities were easier to handle. On the other hand, substrates with higher porosity showed higher levels of cell proliferation, mineralization as well as osteogenic differentiation. C onclusion: Results indicated that PCL scaffold with higher porosity degree up to 90%, covalently functionalized by collagen, and hydroxyapatite nanoparticles was a good candidate for bone tissue engineering applications.