Atefeh Shamosi - Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
Ali Faraji - School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
Jafar Ai - School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
Somayeh Ebrahimi-Barough - Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences,School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, TehranUniversity of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Background and Aim: Recently, many investigations have focused on thefabrication of scaffolds for vascular regeneration with multiple structures.Among various scaffold fabrication techniques, freeze drying, as anenergy inexpensive and the most effective methods considering it provideshigh water removal can be used to create porous scaffolds for inducingangiogenesis and endothelial cells regeneration. During the recentdecade, bioglass has been extensively studied as a potentially suitablecandidate for scaffold fabrication because of its great physicochemicalfeatures and excellent biocompatibility.Methods: In this study, collagen/2% and 2.5% hyaluronic acidincorporated with various ratios of bioglass nanoparticles (BGNPs) (0.5wt%, 1.5 wt%, and 3 wt%) were prepared and their biomechanicaland physicochemical properties were examined by scanning electronmicroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman, andRheological study. Expression of endothelial cell markers in treatedcells on the collagen/hyaluronic acid/BGNPs scaffolds was assessed byimmunocytochemistry and real-time PCR analysis.Results: Bioglass nanoparticles were uniformly distributed inside thecollagen/hyaluronic acid scaffolds without affecting their biomechanicaland physicochemical properties. Collagen/hyaluronic acid/BGNPsscaffolds increased the endothelial differentiation of Wharton s Jellymesenchymal stem cells without inhibiting their proliferation.Conclusion: These results recommend that collagen/hyaluronic acid/BGNPs scaffolds can be applied to make a broad spectrum of strategiesfor the fabrication of promising scaffolds to improve vascular tissueregeneration due to their potential to promote angiogenesis.

Stem Cells; Endothelial Cells; collagen/hyaluronic acid/ BGNPs; Freeze-drying method