摘要：SummaryBackground/Objective As the bone engineering field moves away from nonviable implants to more biocompatible and natural structures, nanomedicine has emerged as a superior tool for developing implantable materials. Methods Here, we describe the fabrication and testing of a nanocomposite structure composed of chitosan and a biocompatible thermoplastic (PMMA). Results Our nanocomposite material displayed morphologically similar characteristics to an extracted murine femur during microscopic and spectroscopic analysis as seen through {SEM} and FTIR. Crosslinking our nanocomposite enhanced structural and strength characteristics significantly above the noncrosslinked sample, mimicking the strength of an extracted mammalian bone. When cocultured with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, the composite material proved to be osteoinductive and osteogenic via {DAPI} and actin staining, differentiating {BMSCs} into the osteogenic lineage and promoting mineral deposition. Nodule formation, indicative of mineralization during {BMSC} differentiation, was confirmed spectroscopically via {FTIR} and autofluorescence of the nodule. Conclusion These encouraging results show promise for in vivo implantation of our novel scaffold that is both biocompatible and biomimetic in strength and composition.
Loading...
