Bioinspired fabrication of EDC-crosslinked gelatin/nanohydroxyapatite injectable microspheres for bone repair

The present study focuses on the synthesis and evaluation of the gelatin/nanohydroxyapatite (Gel/n-HA) composite microspheres fabricated by the water-in-oil (W/O) emulsification process as potential substrates for bone repair applications. Herein, 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC)-crosslinked Gel/n-HA (10 wt%) composite microspheres were synthesized. The morphology, physicochemical properties, and cellular behavior of the EDC-crosslinked Gel-HA microspheres (ECM) were characterized. In vitro cell culture assays demonstrated that the ECM could effectively promote the adhesion and growth of MG63 cells and in vivo bone repair experiments suggested that ECM possessed sustainable regenerative effects. This study provided a simple strategy to prepare functionalized microspheres that showed great potential in promoting bone regeneration as injectable microscaffolds.