Nanofiber Generation of Gelatin-Hydroxyapatite Biomimetics for Guided Tissue Regeneration

The development of biomimetic bone matrices is one of the major goals in the bone‐regeneration and tissue‐engineering fields. Nanocomposites consisting of a natural polymer and hydroxyapatite (HA) nanocrystals, which mimic the human bone matrix, are thus regarded as promising bone regenerative materials. Herein, we developed a biomimetic nanocomposite with a novel nanofibrous structure by employing an electrospinning (ES) method. The HA precipitate/gelatin matrix nanocomposites are lyophilized and dissolved in an organic solvent, and then electrospun under controlled conditions. With this process, we can successfully generate a continuous fiber with a diameter of the order of hundreds of nanometers. The internal structure of the nanofiber features a typical nanocomposite, i.e., HA nanocrystals well distributed within a gelatin matrix. These nanocomposite fibers improve the bone‐derived cellular activity significantly when compared to the pure gelatin equivalent. This method of generating a nanofiber of the biomimetic nanocomposite was effective in producing a biomedical membrane with a composition gradient, which is potentially applicable in the field of guided tissue regeneration (GTR). Nanofibers of gelatin–hydroxyapatite can be generated from a biomimetic nanocomposite solution by electrospinning. This methodology of generating a nanofiber of the biomedical nanocomposite is effective in producing a functional membrane with a composition gradient (gelatin/gelatin–20%HA layered nanofiber matrix, see Figure), which is potentially applicable in the field of guided tissue regeneration.