The role of copper chromite nanoparticles on physical and bio properties of scaffolds based on poly(glycerol-azelaic acid) for application in tissue engineering fields.

Tissue engineering combines suitable cells, engineering methods, and proper biochemical factors to develop functional and biological tissues and repair damaged tissues. In this study, we focused on synthesizing and characterizing a nanocomposite scaffold based on glycerol and azelaic acid (Gl-Az) combined with copper chromite (CuCrO) nanoparticles in order to increase the osteogenic differentiation efficiency of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) on fabricated scaffolds. The degradability and hydrophobicity properties as well as mechanical and thermal behaviors of nanocomposite scaffolds were investigated. Next, the cell toxicity of glycerol, azelaic acid and CuCrO nanoparticles was studied by MTT assay test and acridine orange staining. Finally, the osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs on Gl-Az-CuCrO scaffolds was examined using alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) and calcium content. The obtained results demonstrated that Gl-Az-1%CuCrO not only showed appropriate mechanical strength, biocompatibility and degradability but also influenced the capability of hADSCs to differentiate into osteogenic lineages. The hADSCs culture in Gl-Az-1%CuCrO showed a significant increase in ALP activity levels and calcium biomineralization after 14 days of osteogenic differentiation. In conclusion, the Gl-Az-1%CuCrO nanocomposite could be used as a biocompatible and degradable scaffold to induce the bone differentiation of hADSCs and it could be a promising scaffold in bone regenerative medicine.