In Vitro Studies on 3D-Printed PLA/HA/GNP Structures for Bone Tissue Regeneration

Abstract

The successful regeneration of large-size bone defects remains one of the most critical challenges faced in orthopaedics. Recently, 3D printing technology has been widely used to fabricate reliable, reproducible and economically affordable scaffolds with specifically designed shapes and porosity, capable of providing sufficient biomimetic cues for a desired cellular behaviour. Natural or synthetic polymers reinforced with active bioceramics and/or graphene derivatives have demonstrated adequate mechanical properties and a proper cellular response, attracting the attention of researchers in the bone regeneration field. In the present work, 3D-printed graphene nanoplatelet (GNP)-reinforced polylactic acid (PLA)/hydroxyapatite (HA) composite scaffolds were fabricated using the fused deposition modelling (FDM) technique. The in vitro response of the MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts and RAW 264.7 macrophages revealed that these newly designed scaffolds exhibited various survival rates and a sustained proliferation. Moreover, as expected, the addition of HA into the PLA matrix contributed to mimicking a bone extracellular matrix, leading to positive effects on the pre-osteoblast osteogenic differentiation. In addition, a limited inflammatory response was also observed. Overall, the results suggest the great potential of the newly developed 3D-printed composite materials as suitable candidates for bone tissue engineering applications.

Biocompatible Composite Filaments Printable by Fused Deposition Modelling Technique: Selection of Tuning Parameters by Influence of Biogenic Hydroxyapatite and Graphene Nanoplatelets Ratios

“…Herein, the programmed investigations testify in favour of the optimal and tuneable parameters for the development of composite filaments with printable features. In a logical flow, subsequent research studies designated for the complex in vitro evaluation of the optimized 3D-printed composite products, based on the results provided in this study, were recently published [ 48 ] and sustain the vision entailed here.…”

Additive Manufacturing for Surgical Planning and Education: A Review

“…Despite the remarkable advancements, challenges persist in the field of AM in healthcare [33]. Issues such as insufficient mechanical properties in 3D printing, the imperative to scale up production for mass manufacturing, the development of intelligent printable biomaterials, and the intricate task of vascularization in 3D bioprinting pose ongoing hurdles [34][35][36][37][38]. Addressing these challenges will require innovative solutions and collaborative efforts between researchers and clinicians and industry stakeholders.…”