Enhancement of the mechanical property of apatite-fiber scaffolds (AFS) for tissue engineering of bone

Abstract

Apatite fibers were synthesized by a homogeneous precipitation method. The scaffolds which enable 3D cell culture were fabricated by sintering the apatite fibers with carbon beads of ca. 150 micron in diameter. In order to enhance the mechanical properties of the scaffolds, I-collagen gel solution was introduced into the pores in the scaffold. SEM observations of the resulting apatite/collagen scaffolds showed that the collagen-gel network was formed in the macro pores of the scaffolds. We conclude that hybridization of apatite-fiber scaffolds with I-collagen may be effective for the enhancement of mechanical properties of the scaffolds.