Creep-resistant dextran-based polyurethane foam as a candidate scaffold for bone tissue engineering: Synthesis, chemico-physical characterization, and in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility

ABSTRACT

A highly crosslinked composite dextran-based scaffold (named DexFoam) was tailored to overcome specific deficiencies of polymeric and ceramic bone scaffolds and to guarantee a bone-mimicking microenvironment for the proliferation of human mesenchymal stem cells in vitro. The creep resistance for up to 90% compressive stain, the capability to regain the original shape after deformation, and the good thermal stability in both physiological and “body limit” conditions make DexFoam a valid alternative to the currently available bone scaffolds. Histopathological evaluation for host reaction and tissue colonization of DexFoam scaffold, implanted subcutaneously in mice, demonstrated its in vivo biocompatibility and biodegradability.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Bone graft substitute
• composite scaffolds
• dextran
• polyurethane
• regenerative medicine
• tissue engineering

Acknowledgments

Drs. Gerges and Tamplenizza contributed equally to this work. The authors would like to thank Prof. Arianna Menciassi (The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy) for her guidance and suggestions in mechanical characterization data analyses and Mr. Martino Alfredo Cappelluti (Fondazione Filarete, Milan, Italy) for his assistance in in vitro biological evaluation and Dr. Stefania Riboldi for the excellent management of the grant.