Evaluation of Bone Regeneration of Apatite Coating Poly-L-lactide Scaffold in Rat Calvarial Defects

This study examined in vivo biocompatibility of poly-L-lactide (PLLA) scaffolds coated with hydroxyl apatite (HA) by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). A thin HA film was made on PLLA discs by an ArF PLD operating at a repletion rate of 10 Hz. Cranial bone defects were created in rats and filled with non-HA-coated PLLA scaffold (PLLA) or HA-coated PLLA scaffold (HAPLLA). All specimens were evaluated micro-radiographically and with histological analysis at 2, 4, and 6 weeks. The presence of calcium and phosphorous on the surface as well as in the interior of the PLLA was confirmed by energy dispersive analysis. In vitro cell-spread tests showed that the human osteoblasts spread more on HAPLLA than on PLLA. Upon transplanting calvarial defects, the in vivo hard tissue responses suggested earlier restoration of the defects with HAPLLA than with PLLA.