This work synthesized Hydroxyapatite (HA) from common cockle shells using a precipitation method and fabricated nanofiber scaffolds of polycaprolactone (PCL)-HA composites with combinations of several polymers (i.e., gelatin, chitosan, and collagen) using electrospinning. The synthesized HA had a small agglomerate shape, solid structure, and few interconnected micropores. Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed that the synthesized HA exhibited a Ca/P molar ratio of 1.68. All nanofiber samples were nontoxic with cell viability values of 70.46–91.78%. The PCL-HA-Gelatin nanofiber was the best mechanical properties of the scaffold with the high values of tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and breaking-point elongation at (9.80 ± 1.36) MPa, (0.81 ± 0.09) MPa, and (61.5 ± 7.75) %, respectively. There was no significant difference in the average cell viability of the samples. Nanofiber scaffolds of PCL-HA polymer have the potential for bone tissue engineering applications by satisfying their mechanical property and cytotoxicity assay criteria. Graphical Abstract

One approach to addressing bone defects involves the field of bone tissue engineering, with scaffolds playing an important role. The properties of the scaffold must be similar to those of natural bone, including pore size, porosity, interconnectivity, mechanical attributes, degradation rate, non-toxicity, non-immunogenicity, and biocompatibility. The primary goals of this study are as follows: first, to evaluate hydroxyapatite (HA)/polycaprolactone (PCL)/gelatin nanofiber scaffolds based on functional groups, fibre diameter, porosity, and degradation rate; second, to investigate the interaction between HA/PCL/gelatin scaffolds and osteoblast cells (specifically, the ATCC 7F2 cell line) using in vitro assays, including cell viability and adhesion levels. The fibre samples were fabricated using an electrospinning technique with a 15 kV voltage, a spinneret-collector distance of 10 cm, and a flow rate of 0.3 mL hour⁻¹. The process was applied to five different HA/PCL/gelatin concentration ratios: 50 : 40 : 10; 50 : 30 : 20; 50 : 25 : 25; 50 : 20 : 30; 50 : 35 : 15 (in %wt). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrum analysis and tests revealed no differences in functional groups across the five compositions. The identified functional groups include PO₄ ³⁻, OH⁻, CO₃ ²⁻ and CO stretching. Notably, an increase in PCL concentrations resulted in larger fiber diameters, ranging from 369–1403 nm with an average value of 929 ± 175 nm. The highest porosity percentage was (77.27 ± 11.57) %, and a sufficient degradation rate of up to 3.5 months facilitated the proliferation process of osteoblast cells. Tensile strength assessments revealed a significant increase in tensile strength with the addition of PCL, reaching a peak of 1.93 MPa. The MTT assay demonstrated a discernible increase in cell proliferation, as evidenced by increased cell viability percentages on days 1, 3, and 5. Concurrently, the fluorescence microscopy examination indicated an increase in cell numbers, which was especially noticeable on days 1 and 5. The SEM analysis confirmed the biocompatibility of the HA/PCL/gelatin nanofiber scaffold, as osteoblast cells attached and dispersed successfully five days after seeding. Based on these findings, the HA/PCL/gelatin nanofiber scaffold emerges as a very promising candidate for treating bone damage.

In this study, we designed polycaprolactone (PCL)/polylactic- co -glycolate acid (PLGA) nanofibers doped with carbonate hydroxyapatite (CHA) and egg white (EW) with enhanced properties.

Synthetic scaffolding for bone tissue engineering (BTE) has been widely utilized. The scaffold for BTE requires sufficient porosity as a template for bone cell development and growth so that it can be used in the treatment of bone defects and fractures. Nevertheless, the porosity significantly influences the compressive strength of the scaffold. Hence, controlling the porosity is a pivotal role to obtain a proper scaffold for practical BTE application. Herein, we fabricated the nanocomposite-based scaffold utilizing nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA). The scaffold was prepared in combination with chitosan (Ch) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). The ratios of n-HA, Ch, and CMC used were 40:60:0, 40:55:5, 40:50:10, 40:45:15, and 40:40:20, respectively. By controlling the Ch and CMC composition, we can tune the porosity of the nanocomposite. We found that the interpolation of the CMC prevails, as a crosslinker reinforces the nanocomposite. In addition, the binding to Ch enhanced the compressive strength of the scaffold. Thermal characteristics revealed the coefficient of thermal expansion decreases with increasing CMC content. The nanocomposite does not expand at 25–75 °C, which is suitable for human body temperature. Therefore, this nanocomposite-based scaffold is feasible for BTE application.

Knee injuries are musculoskeletal system injuries, including the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). ACL injuries are most common in athletes. This ACL injury necessitates biomaterial replacement. It is sometimes taken from the patient's tendon and a biomaterial scaffold is used. The use of biomaterial scaffolds as artificial ACLs remains to be investigated. The purpose of this study is to determine the properties of an ACL scaffold made of polycaprolactone (PCL)–hydroxyapatite (HA) and collagen with various composition variations of (50 : 45 : 5), (50 : 40 : 10), (50 : 35 : 15), (50 : 30 : 20), and (50 : 25 : 25) wt%. The scaffold was created using the electrospinning method with a voltage of 23 kV, a needle–collector distance of 15 cm, and a solution flow rate of 2 mL h⁻¹. The average fiber diameter in all samples was less than 1000 nm. The model with the best characterization was PCL : HA : collagen with a weight-to-weight (wt%) ratio of 50 : 45 : 5 and an average fiber diameter of 488 ± 271 nm. The UTS and modulus of elasticity for braided samples were 2.796 MPa and 3.224 MPa, respectively, while the non-braided samples were 2.864 MPa and 12.942 MPa. The estimated time of degradation was 9.44 months. It was also revealed to be non-toxic, with an 87.95% viable cell percentage.

The synthesis of nanohydroxyapatite from cuttlefish bone (Sepia sp.) has been done by using High Energy Milling (HEM) and its characterization in vitro as bone repair. This study aimed to determine the effect of the milling process on microscopic properties and mechanical properties of nano-HA through XRD, TEM, and compressive strength tests. The hydroxyapatite (HA) used in this study consisted of 1M CaCO₃ from aragonite which was extracted from cuttlefish lamella bone (Sepia sp.) and 0.6 M NH₄H₂PO₄, which was hydrothermally processed at 200°C for 12 h and then sintered at 900°C for 1h. Parameter milling includes the variation of milling time, i.e., 3 h, 6 h, and 9 h at rotational speed of 350 rpm. An increase in milling time causes a decrease in HA particle size. This is shown from the results of TEM at the milling time of 9 h with the smallest size up to 65 nm. The result of cell viability test showed that all samples are not toxic with cell viability value of >80%. The milling time of 9 h was an optimum condition with a compressive strength of 4.35952 MPa that can be applied to cancellous bone.