Preparation and characterization of multi-layered poly(ε-caprolactone)/chitosan scaffolds fabricated with a combination of melt-plotting/in situ plasma treatment and a coating method for hard tissue regeneration

Here, we propose a new combinational method supplemented with melt-plotting and in situ plasma treatment to improve the coating ability of chitosan solution. Using the proposed method, the hydrophobic surface of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) was altered to a hydrophilic surface to facilitate homogeneous coating of the micro-structured PCL scaffold with chitosan of various molecular weights. The fabricated chitosan-coated PCL scaffolds were assessed in terms of not only physical properties, including tensile strength and water uptake ability, but also biological capabilities by culturing osteoblast-like cells (MG63) in the presence of coatings of chitosan of various molecular weights (1-5, 5-10, and >10 kDa). The chitosan-based scaffolds showed complete water absorption ability and significantly increased mechanical properties (13-36% increase in Young's modulus) compared to the untreated PCL scaffold. A number of assays (fluorescence analysis, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and calcium deposition) indicated that the scaffold coated with high-molecular-weight chitosan induced highly active cellular responses that would be of interest for bone-tissue regeneration.