Three-dimensional plotted PCL/β-TCP scaffolds coated with a collagen layer: preparation, physical properties and in vitro evaluation for bone tissue regeneration
Abstract
Poly(ε-caprolactone)(PCL)/β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) composite scaffolds, which can be fabricated using a rapid-prototyping process, have been used for bone tissue regeneration. However, one of the main defects of the three-dimensional (3D) PCL/β-TCP scaffold is the highly hydrophobic surface of the micro-sized PCL/β-TCP strands, which can cause poor initial cell attachment and proliferation. To overcome this problem, we propose a new and simple coating process supplemented with collagen solution. Three-dimensionally plotted PCL/β-TCP scaffolds simply coated with various concentrations (0.5, 2, 4 wt%) of collagen solution were studied in terms of