A Surface-Modified Poly(ɛ-caprolactone) Scaffold Comprising Variable Nanosized Surface-Roughness Using a Plasma Treatment

Abstract

Melt-plotted poly (ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) has been widely applied in various tissue regenerations. However, its hydrophobic nature has hindered its usage in wider tissue engineering applications. In this study, we present the development of a porous and multilayered PCL scaffold, which shows outstanding hydrophilic properties and has a roughened surface consisting of homogeneously distributed nanosized pits. The scaffold was obtained using an innovative oxygen plasma treatment. This technology can induce variable nanoscale surface roughness, which is difficult from traditional plasma treatment. Osteoblast-like cells were cultured on the scaffolds and several cellular responses (cell viability, fluorescence images [live/dead cells, nucleus, and actin cytoskeleton], ALP activity, and calcium mineralization) were assessed for untreated PCL and conventionally plasma-treated PCL scaffolds. The data indicated that an appropriate roughness (654 ± 91 nm) of the PCL scaffold processed with the new plasma treatment induced more advantageous responses for the cells, compared with untreated scaffolds and traditional plasma-treated scaffolds.

The fabrication of well‐interconnected polycaprolactone/hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds, enhancing the exposure of hydroxyapatite using the wire‐network molding technique

“…This result may be caused by the increased surface roughness and high portion of meso pores by exposed HA particles and irregular polymer structure in the scaffold. Also, these reason was discussed in the previous studies . In our opinion, the hydrophilicity of HA could also affect the initial cell attachment.…”

“…Also, these reason was discussed in the previous studies. [37][38][39] In our opinion, the hydrophilicity of HA could also affect the initial cell attachment. Therefore, the exposed HA positively affected the cell attachment result.…”

Assessments for bone regeneration using the polycaprolactone SLUP (salt‐leaching using powder) scaffold

“…A scaffold should be biocompatible and biodegradable. Moreover, for each specific tissue, a scaffold should have suitable mechanical properties, a well‐interconnected pore network, and an optimum pore size . To address these requirements, conventional fabrication methods and solid freeform fabrication (SFF) methods have been developed.…”

In vivo study of alginate hydrogel conglutinating cells to polycaprolactone vascular scaffolds fabricated by electrospinning

“…These properties could make PCL have low initial cell attachment and even a reduction in proliferation compared with other natural biopolymers (e.g., collagen, alginate, silk fibroin, and chitosan). Moreover, the hydrophobic character may hinder the infiltration of seeded cells in the depth direction and into the middle region of the scaffold, which has been considered as a primary obstruction in the development of highly porous three‐dimensional PCL scaffolds …”

“…Moreover, the hydrophobic character may hinder the infiltration of seeded cells in the depth direction and into the middle region of the scaffold, which has been considered as a primary obstruction in the development of highly porous threedimensional PCL scaffolds. 24 Alginate, an extract from Phaeophyta, is a linear and unbranched naturally acidic polysaccharose that consists of repeating units of a-L-guluronic acid and b-D-mannuronic acid. 25,26 It can gel rapidly upon ionic cross-linking with divalent cations (such as Ca 21 ) because the cations cause the G units on the neighboring polysaccharide chains to interact.…”