A One-Step Process Using a Modified Electrohydrodynamic Process for Fabricating a Nano/Microscale Hybrid Cellulose Scaffold

Abstract

Hybrid scaffolds are widely applied in hard tissue regeneration because they provide combinational micro/nanostructure to overcome the disadvantages of single structure with another structure. However, there are still problems to be solved in the hybrid scaffold, too complex process using two or more processes and low level of structure controllability in the scaffold to transport cell migration and growth to thickness direction. To overcome the problems, a modified technology using an electrohydrodynamic jet printing to obtain a micro/nanoscale 3D scaffold with a controllable macropore is proposed using a cellulose biomaterial. To show the feasibility of the structure as a medical scaffold, in vitro cellular activities including osteogenic activities using preosteoblasts and physical properties are characterized. As results, significantly higher cell infiltration, cell-growth, and osteoblastic genes are observed in the hybrid scaffold compared to a control. The results indicate that the proposed method to obtain the hierarchical scaffold is a practicable improved method and the fabricated cellulose hybrid scaffold could be one of highly potential biomaterials to induce successful hard tissue regeneration.