evaluating the potential of polycaprolactone/heparinized nano fluoro hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds for advancing bone tissue engineering: a comprehensive analysis of biodegradability and water absorption

The primary purpose of this study is to produce a composite scaffold using polycaprolactone (pcl) and heparinized nano-fluorohydroxyapatite for cancellous bone tissue engineering. the research investigated the impact of heparinized nano-fluorohydroxyapatite particles on various properties of the scaffold, including water absorption, biodegradability, and alkaline phosphatase activity. the scaffold was produced using the phase separation (solid-liquid) method in combination with freeze-drying, and two different concentrations of heparinized nano-fluorohydroxyapatite powder were utilized. biodegradability was assessed by submerging the scaffolds in phosphate-buffered saline for 6 weeks, showing that increased nano-fluorohydroxyapatite content enhanced biodegradability. pcl/10%w(h-nfha50) exhibited the highest biodegradability rate. water absorption analysis revealed that pcl scaffolds had lower water absorption compared to composite samples with heparinized nano-fluorohydroxyapatite, with pcl/10%(h-nfha50) demonstrating the highest water absorption. alkaline phosphatase activity was assessed on day 14 of cell culture, showing higher activity in heparinized samples compared to heparin-free samples in the presence of nano-fluorohydroxyapatite. the presence of heparin and nano-fluorohydroxyapatite in the scaffold structure likely contributed to this difference. no significant difference was observed between heparinized scaffolds with different nano-fluorohydroxyapatite concentrations. the results emphasize that the constructed scaffolds possess the potential for utilization in cancellous bone tissue engineering.