In vitro bioactivity study of composite scaffold prepared via thermally induced phase separation

Among porous materials suitable for Bone Tissue Engineering (BTE) scaffolds, bioactive ceramics (hydroxyapatite, HA) and bioactive glasses (BG) have been used for their excellent biocompatibility, bioactivity and efficient osteointegration (1). However, their major limitations are brittleness, low mechanical stability and low dissolution rate (2). Recent evidences suggest that composite scaffold based on biodegradable polymers (e.g. Poly-lacticacid (PLLA)) simultaneously loaded with HA and BG hold promising potential as efficient osteoconductive implants (3, 4). In this work we investigated the possibility to produce composite PLLA-HA-BG scaffolds via Thermally Induced Phase Separation (TIPS). Morphological investigastions and in-vitro bioactivity tests were performed.