Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the study was to answer the questions whether poly (L-lactide-co-glycolide) synthesized with the use of zirconium acetylacetonate: (i) is less toxic in vitro than that synthesized with tin compound; (ii) is it possible to produce scaffolds from such copolymer, and (iii) how these scaffolds degrade in vitro.
Methods: A human osteoblast line (Saos2) was used to verify the biocompatibility of the copolymer. Porous scaffolds were obtained via the solvent casting / particulate leaching technique. The scaffolds were characterized in terms of surface chemistry (FTIR-ATR, contact angle), microstructure (porosity, water uptake, SEM) and degradation in PBS (GPC, SEM, FTIR-ATR, mass loss).
Results: The copolymer synthesized with the zirconium compound performs better in contact with osteoblasts in vitro than that synthesized with tin. Porous scaffolds from a such copolymer can be easily prepared by the solvent casting/salt leaching technique. These scaffolds, having a high open porosity (88% ± 2%) and water uptake of (630% ± 50%) maintain their dimensions and porous microstructure for 8 weeks in PBS. The scaffolds degrade in vitro, but the rate of degradation is quite low.
Conclusion: The results of biological, textural, and physico-chemical properties of obtained porous material, regarding its behaviour in conditions simulating biological environment, show that it could be used as a scaffold for bone tissue engineering.

Keywords: Tissue Engineering, Aliphatic Polyesters, Scaffolds, In Vitro Cells Studies, microstructure, degradation