The development of polymer based three-dimensional scaffolds which may once solve clinical problems such as the loss of the bone tissue is one of the current challenges in bone tissue engineering. The porous structure of the scaffolds must be precisely designed as it is related with cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation and vascularization. In this work the porous morphology of the cellulose composites with nanohydroxypatite (particle size ≤200 nm) or microhydroxyapatite (particle size 15-35 μm) was developed by freeze-drying of the prepared gel. For the morphological characterisation of the obtained scaffolds a scanning electron microscopy and micro-computed tomography were used. It was found that a porosity as well as a pore size of the scaffold depended on the solvent in the discontinuous phase of the gel prior the drying process. Changing a concentration of a solvent the morphology of the lyophilized scaffold varied from macroporous to dense. In optimal conditions the matrix of the interconnected porous structure with micro and macro pores was obtained. The porosity of the scaffolds varied from 65 to 72% when microhydroxyapatite and nanohydroxyapatite were used, respectively. The cellulose/hydroxyapatite scaffold showed a permeable pore network for glucose thus revealing its suitability for fast diffusion of nutrients and metabolites.
jolanta.liesiene@ktu.lt
