Collagen/Wollastonite nanowire hybrid scaffolds promoting osteogenic differentiation and angiogenic factor expression of mesenchymal stem cells.

Porous materials and scaffolds have wide applications in biomedical and biological fields. They can provide biological and physical cues to promote cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation and extracellular matrix secretion to guide new tissue formation. Hybrid scaffolds of collagen and wollastonite nanowires with well controlled pore structures were prepared by using ice particulates as a porogen material. The hybrid scaffolds had interconnected large spherical pores with wollastonite nanowires embedded in the walls of the pores. The wollastonite nanowires reinforced the hybrid scaffolds and showed some stimulatory effects on cell functions. Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells showed higher proliferation and osteogenic differentiation and expressed higher level of genes encoding angiogenesis-related genes in the hybrid scaffolds than did in the collagen scaf-. fold. The results suggest the hybrid scaffolds could facilitate osteogenic differentiation and induce angiogenesis and will be useful for bone tissue engineering.