Effectiveness of a biodegradable 3D Polylactic acid/Poly(ɛ-caprolactone)/Hydroxyapatite scaffold loaded by differentiated osteogenic cells in a critical-sized radius bone defect in rat.

The effects of a scaffold made of polylactic acid, poly(ɛ-caprolactone) and hydroxyapatite (PLA/PCL/HA) by indirect 3D printing method with and without differentiated bone cells was tested on the regeneration of a critical radial bone defect in rat. The scaffold characterization and mechanical performance were determined by the rheology, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. The defects were created in forty Wistar rats which were randomly divided into the untreated, autograft, scaffold cell-free, and differentiated bone cell-seeded scaffold groups (n=10 in each group). The expression level of angiogenic and osteogenic markers, analyzed by qRT-PCR (in vitro), significantly improved (P 0.05), however, most results in the scaffold group were significantly higher than the untreated group (P<0.05). Differentiated bone cells can enhance bone regeneration potential of the scaffold.