Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) films were fabricated using the method of dissolving and evaporation. PLLA scaffold was prepared by solid-liquid phase separation of polymer solutions and subsequent sublimation of solvent.

Bonelike apatite coating was formed on PLLA films, PLLA scaffolds and poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) scaffolds in 24 hours through an accelerated biomimetic process. The ion concentrations in the simulated body fluid (SBF) were nearly 5 times o f those in human blood plasma. The apatite formed was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The apatite formed in 5SBF was similar in morphology and composition to that formed in the classical biomimetic process employing SBF or 1.5SBF, and similar to that of natural bone. This indicated that the biomimetic apatite coating process could be accelerated by using concentrated simulated body fluid at 37°C. Besides saving time, the accelerated biomimetic process is particularly significant to biodegradable polymers. Some polymers which degrade too fast to be coated with apatite by a classical biomimetic process, for example PGA, could be coated with bone-like apatite in an accelerated biomimetic process.

Collagen and apatite were co-precipitated as a composite coating on poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) in an accelerated biomimetic process. The incubation solution contained collagen (lg/L) and simulated body fluid (SBF) with 5 times inorganic ionic concentrations as human blood plasma. The coating formed on PLLA films and scaffolds after 24 hours incubation was characterized using EDX, XRD, FTIR, and SEM. It was shown that the coating contained carbonated bone-like apatite and collagen, the primary constituents of natural bone. SEM showed a complex composite coating of submicron bone-like apatite particulates combined with collagen fibrils. This work provided an efficient process to obtain bone-like apatite/collagen composite coating.

Saos-2 osteoblast-like cells were used to evaluate the cellular behaviors on these biomimetic coatings. Cell morphologies on the surfaces of PLLA films and scaffolds, PLLA films and scaffolds with apatite coating, and PLLA films and scaffolds with apatite/collagen composite coating were studied by SEM. Cell viability was assessed by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrasodium bromide (MTT) assay. In addition, differentiated cell function was assessed by measuring alkaline phosphatase activity. These results suggested that the apatite coating and apatite/collagen composite coating fabricated through the accelerated biomimetic processes could improve the interactions between osteoblasts and PLLA. The composite coating was more effective than apatite coating in improving such interactions. PLLA scaffolds coated with submicron collagen fibrils and submicron apatite paticulates are expected to be one of the promising 3D substrates for bone tissue engineering.

To facilitate coating into scaffolds, the flowing condition was introduced into the accelerated biomimetic process. The apatite formed in the different sites in the scaffold was characterized using SEM. It was found that the accelerated biomimetic process performed in the flowing condition yielded more uniform spatial distribution of apatite particles than that in the regular shaking condition. This work provides a novel condition for obtaining uniform spatial distribution o f bone-like apatite within the scaffolds in a timely manner, which is expected to facilitate uniform distribution of attached cells within the scaffolds in vitro or in vivo.