Veterinary Research Forum

Effects of polycaprolactone/hydroxyapatite nanocomposite scaffolds combined with platelet-rich fibrin for repair of rabbit calvarial bone defects

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Sina Yal Beiranvand 1
Shiva Amanollahi 2
Hossein Nourani 3
Hossein Kazemi Mehrjerdi 1

1 Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

2 Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

3 Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

https://doi.org/10.30466/vrf.2025.2060149.4752
Abstract
Bone tissue engineering offers a potential alternative to conventional grafting by combining biocompatible scaffolds with biological stimulants. Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a biodegradable polyester with good mechanical strength and biocompatibility. Hydroxyapatite (HA) is a calcium phosphate mineral that is a major component of bone and has excellent bioactivity and biocompatibility. This research investigated the histopathological effects of PCL-HA nanocomposite scaffolds along with their combination with platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), on the regeneration of bone in rabbit calvarial bone defects. Four circular full-thickness bone defects of 5.00 mm in diameter were created on the calvarial bone of 15 male New Zealand white rabbits. Three defects were filled with PRF, PCL-HA, and PCL-HA/PRF, and one defect was served as a control with no filler. Histopathological evaluations were conducted at 4-, 8-, and 12-weeks post-implantation. Data were evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. Significant differences were observed between the treatment and control groups regarding bone regeneration throughout all 12th weeks studied. In the 4th weeks, no significant differences in bone regeneration were noted among the treatment groups. In the 8th weeks, most new bone formation was observed in the PCL-HA/PRF group. Both the PCL-HA and PCL-HA/PRF groups significantly improved bone regeneration compared to the control and PRF groups, with the PCL-HA/PRF group demonstrating the greatest bone formation, and vascularization and the lowest inflammation by the 12th week. Thus, PCL-HA/PRF could be considered as a suitable alternative to bone grafts and could be increasingly utilized in orthopedic surgery and bone tissue engineering.

Keywords

Bone defect repair
Hydroxyapatite
Platelet-rich fibrin
Polycaprolactone
Scaffold
Subjects
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Veterinary Research Forum
Volume 17, Issue 4
April 2026
Pages 233-241

  • Receive Date 09 May 2025
  • Revise Date 05 June 2025
  • Accept Date 19 July 2025

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