In the last few years, graphene oxide (GO) has gained considerable importance in scaffold preparation for tissue engineering due to the presence of functional groups that allow the interaction between the extracellular matrix and the components of the cellular membrane. The interaction between GO and chitosan (CS) can not only improve the biomechanical properties of the scaffold but also generate a synergistic effect, facilitating tissue recovery. In vivo studies on GO are scarce; therefore, biocompatibility tests on CS-GO scaffolds and bone regeneration experiments on critical size defects were carried out on Wistar rats. Scaffolds made of CS, CS-GO 0.5%, and CS-GO 1% were prepared and implanted on Wistar rats cranial bones for three months. Scaffold samples were analyzed through histochemistry and scanning electron microscopy. The analysis performed showed reabsorption of the material by phagocytic activity and new bone formation. The CS-GO 0.5% formulation gave the best performance in bone regeneration, with excellent biocompatibility. These results show the potential of this compound for tissue regeneration opening and medical applications.

The search for new biocompatible materials that can replace invasive materials in biomedical applications has increased due to the great demand derived from accidents and diseases such as cancer in various tissues. In this sense, four formulations based on polycaprolactone (PCL) and polylactic acid (PLA) incorporated with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and tea tree essential oil (TTEO) were prepared. The sol-gel method was used for zinc oxide nanoparticle synthesis with an average size of 11 ± 2 nm and spherical morphology. On the other hand, Fourier Transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed characteristic functional groups for each composite component. The TTEO incorporation in the formulations was related to the increased intensity of the C-O-C band. The thermal properties of the materials show that the degradative properties of the ZnO-NPs decrease the thermal stability. The morphological study by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the presence of TTEO and ZnO-NPs act synergistically, obtaining smooth surfaces, whereas membranes with the presence of ZnO-NPs or TTEO only show porous morphologies. Histological implantation of the membranes showed biocompatibility and biodegradability after 60 days of implantation. This degradation occurs through the fragmentation of the larger particles with the presence of connective tissue constituted by type III collagen fibers, blood vessels, and inflammatory cells, where the process of resorption of the implanted material continues.

Scaffolds based on biopolymers and nanomaterials with appropriate mechanical properties and high biocompatibility are desirable in tissue engineering. Therefore, polylactic acid (PLA) nanocomposites were prepared with ceramic nanobioglass (PLA/n-BGs) at 5 and 10 wt.%. Bioglass nanoparticles (n-BGs) were prepared using a sol–gel methodology with a size of ca. 24.87 ± 6.26 nm. In addition, they showed the ability to inhibit bacteria such as Escherichia coli (ATCC 11775), Vibrio parahaemolyticus (ATCC 17802), Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus (ATCC 55804), and Bacillus cereus (ATCC 13061) at concentrations of 20 w/v%. The analysis of the nanocomposite microstructures exhibited a heterogeneous sponge-like morphology. The mechanical properties showed that the addition of 5 wt.% n-BG increased the elastic modulus of PLA by ca. 91.3% (from 1.49 ± 0.44 to 2.85 ± 0.99 MPa) and influenced the resorption capacity, as shown by histological analyses in biomodels. The incorporation of n-BGs decreased the PLA crystallinity (from 7.1% to 4.98%) and increased the glass transition temperature (Tg) from 53 °C to 63 °C. In addition, the n-BGs increased the thermal stability due to the nanoparticle’s intercalation between the polymeric chains and the reduction in their movement. The histological implantation of the nanocomposites and the cell viability with HeLa cells higher than 80% demonstrated their biocompatibility character with a greater resorption capacity than PLA. These results show the potential of PLA/n-BGs nanocomposites for biomedical applications, especially for long healing processes such as bone tissue repair and avoiding microbial contamination.