Hybrid hydrogels self-assembled from graft copolymers containing complementary β-sheets as hydroxyapatite nucleation scaffolds

A biomimetic material that can assist bone tissue regeneration was proposed. A bone scaffold based on a hybrid hydrogel self-assembled from N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymers grafted with complementary β-sheet peptides was designed. Investigation of self-assembly by circular dichroism spectroscopy suggested that hydrogel formation was triggered through association of the complementary β-sheet motifs. Congo Red and thioflavin T binding, as well as transmission electron microscopy confirmed the formation of a fibril network. Besides mimicking the natural bone extracellular matrix and maintaining preosteoblast cells viability, this hydrogel, as shown by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, provided surfaces characterized by epitaxy that favored hydroxyapatite-like crystal nucleation and growth potentially beneficial for biointegration.