Preclinical assessment of biomimetic and bioactive bone regeneration scaffold in femoral condyle defect of Sprague Dawley rats.

Abstract

A fabricated biomimetic bone scaffold, incorporating osteogenic factors, presents a promising alternative to traditional autologous and allogeneic bone fracture treatments. Here, the principles of biology and engineering are combined in the development of viable tissue regeneration scaffolds designed to restore and maintain the function of human (bone) tissue. Our aim is to produce a cost effective bone healing biodegradable scaffold that overcomes current technology limitations and provides better safety than current mainstay market products. To date, the initial development phase of this project has been completed and in vitro studies have been performed providing positive outcomes. A preclinical assessment, where the scaffolds was implanted in Sprague Dawley rat defective femoral condyles has been carried out to investigate the efficiency of the scaffold in promoting bone healing. Histological analysis of the osteogenic and bioactive properties of the scaffolds has been conducted validating the efficacy of controlled low dose growth factor release compared with equivalent commercially available bone healing products