Increased Osteogenic Potential of Pre-Osteoblasts on Three-Dimensional Printed Scaffolds Compared to Porous Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration

Zamani, Yasaman; Amoabediny, Ghassem; Mohammadi, Javad; Zandieh-Doulabi, Behrouz; Klein-Nulend, Jenneke; Helder, Marco N.

doi:10.29252/ibj.25.2.78

Increased Osteogenic Potential of Pre-Osteoblasts on Three-Dimensional Printed Scaffolds Compared to Porous Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration

Authors

Yasaman Zamani ¹

Ghassem Amoabediny ²

Javad Mohammadi ¹

Behrouz Zandieh-Doulabi ³

Jenneke Klein-Nulend ³

Marco N. Helder ⁴

¹ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran;

² Department of Biomedical Engineering, Research Center for New Technologies in Life Science Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

³ Department of Oral Cell Biology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA)-University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

⁴ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Oral Pathology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers-location VUmc and Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands;

10.29252/ibj.25.2.78

Abstract

Background: One of the main challenges with conventional scaffold fabrication methods is the inability to control scaffold architecture. Recently, scaffolds with controlled shape and architecture have been fabricated using three-dimensional printing (3DP). Herein, we aimed to determine whether the much tighter control of microstructure of 3DP poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid/β-tricalcium phosphate (PLGA/β-TCP) scaffolds is more effective in promoting osteogenesis than porous scaffolds produced by solvent casting/porogen leaching. Methods: Physical and mechanical properties of porous and 3DP scaffolds were studied. The response of pre-osteoblasts to the scaffolds was analyzed after 14 days. Results: The 3DP scaffolds had a smoother surface (R_a: 22 ± 3 µm) relative to the highly rough surface of porous scaffolds (R_a: 110 ± 15 µm). Water contact angle was 112 ± 4° on porous and 76 ± 6° on 3DP scaffolds. Porous and 3DP scaffolds had the pore size of 408 ± 90 and 315 ± 17 µm and porosity of 85 ± 5% and 39 ± 7%, respectively. Compressive strength of 3DP scaffolds (4.0 ± 0.3 MPa) was higher than porous scaffolds (1.7 ± 0.2 MPa). Collagenous matrix deposition was similar on both scaffolds. Cells proliferated from day 1 to day 14 by fourfold in porous and by 3.8-fold in 3DP scaffolds. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was 21-fold higher in 3DP scaffolds than porous scaffolds. Conclusion: The 3DP scaffolds show enhanced mechanical properties and ALP activity compared to porous scaffolds in vitro, suggesting that 3DP PLGA/β-TCP scaffolds are possibly more favorable for bone formation.

Keywords

Alkaline phosphatase

β-tricalcium phosphate

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid copolymer