NANOFIBROUS SCAFFOLDING FOR BONE TISSUE ENGINEERING - Intelligent Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine - page 284

14.4 Functionalization of Nanofibers for
Bone Tissue Engineering
14.4.1 Surface Modifications
To enhance the biological responses of nanofibers as a matrix for
bonetissueregeneration,thenanofibersurfaceisoftentailoredwith
a bone-mimetic composition or biological therapeutics. Given that
the cells recognize initially the subsurface of a material, functional-
izingthesurfacetotriggerinitialcelladhesionandtostimulatesyn-
thesis of bone ECMs and mineralization is considered a promising
approach.
Among surface functionalization methods, the modification of
the polymeric nanofiber surface with a bone mineral-like phase,
mainly hydroxyapatite, has recently been exploited. 38 - 40 The PCL
nanofiber matrix was activated with an alkaline solution, presoaked
in calcium and phosphorus solutions and then immersed in a
body-simulating medium. 38 A hydroxyapatite mineral phase was
induced on the PCL nanofiber surface within a few days, and it cov-
ered the surface almost completely after 7 days (Fig. 14.5). The
Figure 14.5. Hydroxyapatite mineralized on the surface of a PCL
nanofiberforboneregenerationuse(adaptedwithpermissionfromRef.38;
copyright 2009 Wiley Interscience Co.).