Piezoelectrically and Topographically Engineered Scaffolds for Accelerating Bone Regeneration

Abstract

Bone regeneration remains a critical concern across diverse medical disciplines, because it is a complex process that requires a combinatorial approach involving the integration of mechanical, electrical, and biological stimuli to emulate the native cellular microenvironment. In this context, piezoelectric scaffolds have attracted considerable interest owing to their remarkable ability to generate electric fields in response to dynamic forces. Nonetheless, the application of such scaffolds in bone tissue engineering has been limited by the lack of a scaffold that can simultaneously provide both the intricate electromechanical environment and the biocompatibility of the native bone tissue. Here, we present a pioneering biomimetic scaffold that combines the unique properties of piezoelectric and topographical enhancement with the inherent osteogenic abilities of hydroxyapatite (HAp). Notably, the novelty of this work lies in the incorporation of HAp into polyvinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoro ethylene in a freestanding form, leveraging its natural osteogenic potential within a piezoelectric framework. Through comprehensive in vitro and in vivo investigations, we demonstrate the remarkable potential of these scaffolds to accelerate bone regeneration. Moreover, we demonstrate and propose three pivotal mechanisms-(i) electrical, (ii) topographical, and (iii) paracrine - that collectively contribute to the facilitated bone healing process. Our findings present a synergistically derived biomimetic scaffold design with wide-ranging prospects for bone regeneration as well as various regenerative medicine applications.