Fabrication, Optimization and Characterization of Synthetic Polymer Based Micro-Nano-Structured Composite Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration

Various scaffold properties have been explored to understand the influence of physical and chemical properties on cellular behavior. Surface morphology is one property, which can be varied by modifying fiber diameter, and has been shown to play a role in cellular attachment, proliferation, and differentiation. The effect of fiber diameter on cellular proliferation and differentiation has offered varying results: some favor nanofibers and others favor microfibers in terms of their ability to encourage proliferation and cellular differentiation. In this study, the surface morphology was altered by modifying the fiber diameter of electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL). This study suggests that though higher attachment and proliferation rates are evident in scaffolds with lower average fiber diameters. However, when looking at cellular differentiation and mineralization, there appears to be a split in ideal fiber diameter ranges (400-800nm and 1.2-1.7µm). This leads to the recommendation that in future studies, a biomodal distribution of micro and nano ranged scaffolds be considered