BACKGROUND: Although, there are many reports about the biomineralization of electrospun polymer fibers, the reports about the biomineralization of electrospun polyphosphazene/gelatin composite fibers are rare.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possibility of polyphosphzaene/gelatin composite fibrous matrix as the bone tissue engineering scaffold.
METHODS: Poly(alaine ethyl ester-co-glycine ethyl ester)phosphazene (PAGP)/gelatin composite nanofibers were prepared by blend electrospinning. Five times simulated body fluid (5SBF) was used to perform the biominerialization. And its bone binding activity was evaluated by scanning electron microscope, X-ray spectrum, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy techniques.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared to pure gelatin fibers, the PAGP/gelatin composite fibers could remain their morphology, no fiber conglutination and damage of porous structure were observed after crosslinking treatment. In the 5SBF balanced with continuous CO2 bubbling, formation of sheet-like dicalcium phosphate dehydrate (DCPD) and its transformation into hydroxyapatite (HA) have been detected on both pure PAGP and PAGP/gelatin composite fibers. However, the procedure took place much faster on the latter than on the former, owing to the presence of gelatin component. Nevertheless, only DCPD have been observed on pure gelatin fibers during the 24 hours of 5SBF soaking period. The results illustrated that the presence of hydrophobic PAGP prevented the dissolution of gelatin and helped to maintain the fiber morphology, thus increased the biomineralizaiton behavior of PAGP/gelatin composite fibers in comparison with pure PAGP and gelatin fibers.