Reviewed by Lexie CornerJun 13 2024
A team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences used piezoelectric polymer poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) fibers with ordered micro-nano structures and a piezo catalytically-induced controlled mineralization strategy to create biomimetic tissue engineering scaffolds with a bone-like microenvironment (pcm-PLLA). The study has been published in the journal Science Bulletin.
Image Credit: Science China Press
PLLA fibers, serving as analogs of mineralized collagen fibers, were arranged in an oriented manner, ultimately forming a bone-like interconnected pore structure. These fibers imparted bone-like piezoelectric properties. The uniformly sized HA nanocrystals, formed through controlled mineralization, contributed bone-like mechanical strength and created a favorable chemical environment.
By activating cell membrane calcium channels and PI3K signaling pathways through ultrasonic-responsive piezoelectric signals, the pcm-PLLA scaffold could attract endogenous stem cells quickly and support their osteogenic differentiation. The scaffold created an appropriate environment for the promotion of angiogenesis and macrophage M2 polarization, which improved bone regeneration in rats with skull defects.
The suggested multifaceted bionic natural bone strategy offers a novel concept for creating scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.
The research team was headed by Dr. Zhou Li from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems and Chunying Chen from the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology.
Journal Reference:
Cui, X., et al. (2024) Piezocatalytically-induced controllable mineralization scaffold with bone-like microenvironment to achieve endogenous bone regeneration. Science Bulletin. doi.org/10.1016/j.scib.2024.04.002