Chitosan/polydopamine/octacalcium phosphate composite microcarrier simulates natural bone components to induce osteogenic differentiation of stem cells

Natural polymers and minerals can be combined to simulate natural bone for repairing bone defects. However, bone defects are often irregular and pose challenges for their repair. To overcome these challenges, we prepared Chitosan/Polydopamine/Octacalcium phosphate (CS/PDA/OCP) microcarriers that mimic bone composition and micro-size to adapt to different bone defect defects. CS/PDA microspheres were prepared by emulsion phase separation method and PDA in-situ polymerization. Finally, it was used to adsorb and immobilize OCP particles, resulting in the preparation of CS/PDA/OCP composite microcarriers. The microcarriers maintain an interconnected porous structure and appropriate porosity, which promotes cell adhesion, proliferation, and nutrient exchange. Subsequently, the protein adsorption capacity, simulated degradation, cell adhesion and proliferation capacity of the composite microcarriers were investigated. Additionally, their ability to simulate mineralization and induce osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs was characterized. The results demonstrated that the composite microcarrier had good biocompatibility and was conducive to cell adhesion and proliferation. Moreover, ALP and ARS staining revealed that the addition of OCP significantly enhanced the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. These results indicate that the composite microcarrier has promising prospects for bone repair applications.