Decellularization and oxidation process of bamboo stem enhance biodegradation and osteogenic differentiation

Many features that are appropriate for an ideal tissue engineered biomaterial are found in plant tissues. Hierarchically organized Bambusa vulgaris exhibits structural similarities to native bone, but the degradation of cellulose that is the main component of the plant cell wall is a challenge. In this study, Bamboo stem was subjected to decellularization followed by a chemical oxidation process (treated with sodium periodate) to enhance biocompatibility and biodegradation. The crystallinity of oxidised plant scaffolds was reduced, resulting in lower mechanical strength. In contrast, hydrophilicity was enhanced in those scaffolds. In vitro studies demonstrated better mesenchymal stem cell adhesion, viability, and osteogenic differentiation on oxidized scaffolds. Those scaffolds also induced angiogenesis, biocompatibility, and biodegradation when implanted subcutaneously in vivo. Hence, the present study demonstrated the usefulness of "oxidized decellularized plant" as bone scaffold for non-load-bearing applications.