Systematic Analysis of Injectable Materials and 3D Rapid Prototyped Magnetic Scaffolds: From CNS Applications to Soft and Hard Tissue Repair/Regeneration

Over the past years, polymer-based materials have attracted research interest in the field of tissue repair and regeneration. As reported in literature, different injectable systems have been proposed, trying to reduce surgical invasiveness. In a first step of the current research, the rheological and functional features of injecatble hydrogel-based materials for central nervous system applications or soft tissue regeneration (collagen/PEG semi-IPNs) as well as for hard tissue engineering (alginate/iron-doped hydroxyapatite) were evaluated. Then, the study was also devoted to the development of 3D nanocomposite poly(?- caprolactone)/iron-doped hydroxyapatite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering, providing a preliminary approach to assess magnetic attraction forces.