3D Printed Poly(𝜀-caprolactone)/Hydroxyapatite Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering: A Comparative Study on a Composite Preparation by Melt Blending or Solvent Casting Techniques and the Influence of Bioceramic Content on Scaffold Properties

Abstract

Bone tissue engineering has been developed in the past decades, with the engineering of bone substitutes on the vanguard of this regenerative approach. Polycaprolactone-based scaffolds are fairly applied for bone regeneration, and several composites have been incorporated so as to improve the scaffolds’ mechanical properties and tissue in-growth. In this study, hydroxyapatite is incorporated on polycaprolactone-based scaffolds at two different proportions, 80:20 and 60:40. Scaffolds are produced with two different blending methods, solvent casting and melt blending. The prepared composites are 3D printed through an extrusion-based technique and further investigated with regard to their chemical, thermal, morphological, and mechanical characteristics. In vitro cytocompatibility and osteogenic differentiation was also assessed with human dental pulp stem/stromal cells. The results show the melt-blending-derived scaffolds to present more promising mechanical properties, along with the incorporation of hydroxyapatite. The latter is also related to an increase in osteogenic activity and promotion. Overall, this study suggests polycaprolactone/hydroxyapatite scaffolds to be promising candidates for bone tissue engineering, particularly when produced by the MB method.

Additive Manufactured Poly(ε-caprolactone)-graphene Scaffolds: Lamellar Crystal Orientation, Mechanical Properties and Biological Performance

“…All composites showed similar melting peaks, which at first glance suggests that scaffolds with or without the addition of GPN within the range studied can be produced with the same extrusion parameters. The thermal stability of all composites showed similar TGA curves, with one-step weight loss that corresponds to the decomposition of PCL [50,51]. The results reveal that the addition of GPN has no effect on the thermal behaviour of PCL [49,52].…”

Gamma Irradiation Processing on 3D PCL Devices—A Preliminary Biocompatibility Assessment

“…SEM analysis was employed to determine the morphological features of the scaffolds. The microporosity observed on the surface of the filaments was caused by the material preparation method, more precisely due to the solvent addition [30]. Thus, gamma irradiation had no influence on the filament morphology of PCL scaffolds.…”

“…For each time-point, corrected absorbance values were obtained for each group and are presented in Figure 3 (upper panel) and Table 1. Human dental pulp stem/stromal cells (hDPSCs) were employed in this assay, following previous works [30][31][32]. These cells' population regenerative potential towards the osteogenic lineage has been established by Campos et al [33,34] and was selected for the purpose of this study, as the authors intend to further analyse the regenerative potential of PCL-based devices for tracheal airway-obstruction cases.…”

“…In addition, it must be biocompatible, biodegradable and non-immunogenic [29]. Furthermore, PCL allows the production of 3D devices with interconnected porous network and high reproducibility [30]. Following the biomaterial production and characterization studies, in vitro and in vivo assays were conducted to assess the gamma radiation effect on the device's properties, the first applying mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from dental pulp tissue of human origin and the latter considering subcutaneous implantation on a rat animal model.…”

Bioactive Magnetic Materials in Bone Tissue Engineering: A Review of Recent Findings in CaP‐Based Particles and 3D‐Printed Scaffolds

“…The literature presents several materials and conventional techniques to fabricate scaffolds. [244][245][246][247][248][249][250] However, using conventional methods, it is challenging to precisely control the size, shape, and pore spatial distribution, as well as to produce complex geometries. [251] AM appears as a novel fabrication method with high potential for medical applications in general and specifically 3D porous structures, since geometrical complexity, design control of porosity, reproducible internal morphology, and customization features are a reality.…”