MECHANICAL-TENSILE STRENGTHS AND CELL-PROLIFERATIVE ACTIVITIES OF ELECTROSPUN POLY(LACTIC- co -GLYCOLIC ACID) COMPOSITES CONTAINING β-TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE

: Two types of β-tricalcium phosphate/poly(lactic- co -glycolic acid) scaffolds were prepared by an electrospinning method. Mechanical tensile properties and cell proliferation behavior of the conventional nonwoven fibermat (Sample-A) were compared with those of another type of fibermat including flat areas around cross-linked portions between skeletal fibers (Sample-B). Sample-A showed larger elongation in the mechanical-tensile test than Sample-B. Murine osteoblast-like cells adhered between the fibers in Sample-A, while they adhered and spread on the flat faces in Sample-B. Remarkable proliferation of the cells was observed on the Sample-B at the early stage of the culture.