Effect of porosity on long-term degradation of poly ([e]-caprolactone) scaffolds andANBtheir cellular response

• Published in: Polymer degradation and stability Vol. 98; no. 1; pp. 209 - 218
• Main Authors: Zhang, Qingchun, Jiang, Yun, Zhang, Yan, Ye, Zhaoyang, Tan, Wensong, Lang, Meidong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.2013
• Subjects: Autocatalysis; Cellular; Compressive modulus; Degradation; Modulus of elasticity; Molecular weight; Porosity; Scaffolds
• ISSN: 0141-3910

Porous poly([e]-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds are widely used as inANBvivo implants in tissue engineering, and their long-term degradation behaviors are of great importance for their inANBvivo performances. However, the influence of porosity on long-term degradation of PCL scaffold in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) has been rarely reported so far. Herein, a 72-week degradation study of PCL scaffolds with various porosities was conducted to elucidate the changes of physico-chemical properties such as weight, molecular weight, morphology and compressive modulus. Within 72 weeks, PCL scaffolds experienced three stages: stable stage, mechanical loss stage and structural collapse stage. The higher porosity induced the severer loss of weight, molecular weight and compressive modulus. It was found that a minimal acid autocatalysis also happened in the scaffold samples with low porosities (less than 85%). Cellular response on the scaffolds with various porosities was further evaluated. The cell ingrowth improved on the scaffold with high porosity (e.g. S-10) in contrast to those with low porosity (e.g. S-6 and S-4). The combined results demonstrated that an optimal porosity of PCL scaffolds should be designed greater than 90% due to the appropriate degradation rate and good cell performance.