Figure 1.
Representative photographs of nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffold.
Gross view of the spiral scaffold (A). The morphology of nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffold under stereomicroscopy (B) and scanning electron microscopy (C and D).
Figure 2.
Cell viability cultured on nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffolds using Live/Dead assay.
Cells cultured on PCL spiral scaffold (A), HA∶PCL = 1∶8 nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffold (B), HA∶PCL = 1∶4 nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffold (C), HA∶PCL = 1∶2 nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffold (D) for 7 days. (E) Quantitative analysis of the percent of dead cells within each spiral scaffolds. Live cells were stained green, dead cells were stained red and nucleus were stained blue. Data represent the mean ± standard deviation, n = 5.
Figure 3.
Cytoskeleton structure of osteoblast cultured on nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffolds for 4 days.
F-actin staining of cells cultured on PCL spiral scaffold (A), HA∶PCL = 1∶8 nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffold (B), HA∶PCL = 1∶4 nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffold (C), HA∶PCL = 1∶2 nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffold (D). F-actin was stained red and nucleus was stained blue.
Figure 4.
Cells morphology cultured on the nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffolds for 4 days by HE staining.
Osteoblasts cultured on PCL spiral scaffold (A), HA∶PCL = 1∶8 nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffold (B), HA∶PCL = 1∶4 nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffold (C), HA∶PCL = 1∶2 nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffold (D).
Figure 5.
Osteoblasts distribution and proliferation cultured on the nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffolds after 1, 7, and 14 days culture.
Cells distribution in the scaffolds evaluated by methylene blue staining (A). Quantitative analysis of cell proliferation measured by MTA assay (B) and PicoGreen DNA quantification assay (C). Data represent the mean ± standard deviation, n = 6.
Figure 6.
Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) expression on the nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffolds was normalized to protein concentration after 2 and 3 weeks of culture.
Data represent the mean ± standard deviation, n = 6. Significant difference between different material groups were denoted as * (p<0.05).
Figure 7.
Alizarin S Red staining of calcium deposited on nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffolds.
Cells cultured on PCL spiral scaffold (A), HA∶PCL = 1∶8 nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffold (B), HA∶PCL = 1∶4 nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffold (C), HA∶PCL = 1∶2 nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffold (D) for 21 days. (E) Quantitative analysis of the amount of calcium within each spiral scaffolds. Data represent the mean ± standard deviation, n = 6. Significant difference between different material groups were denoted as * (p<0.05).
Figure 8.
Gene expression of osteogenic markers in nano-HA/PCL spiral scaffolds after 3 weeks of culture.
Representative electrophoresis gel (A) and semi-quantitative analysis of gene expression (B). The data presented were normalized with β-actin. Significant difference between different material groups were denoted as * (p<0.05).