Abstract
Bone tissue engineering (BTE) aims to repair bone defects using biocompatible materials with tailored geometries and pore structures, providing appropriate mechanical support and control over biodegradation kinetics to promote bone growth. In this study, we utilized digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing to fabricate scaffolds with varying pore sizes using polymer–ceramic slurries composed of polylactic acid (PLA) as the main polymer matrix, incorporated with hydroxyapatite (HA) and bioactive borate glass (BBG) at various ratios. We studied the effect of composition on rheological behavior, printability, mechanical properties, bioactivity, degradation rate, and biocompatibility. While HA increased viscosity and reduced printing accuracy, it also improved mechanical properties and bioactivity. BBG increased the hydrophilicity and shape fidelity of the scaffold. Both HA and BBG enhanced the compressive mechanical properties by reinforcing the polymer matrix with ceramic particles. To study the scaffold's bioactivity, samples were immersed in simulated body fluid for 4 weeks. Both ceramic additives enhanced the bioactivity of PLA scaffolds, evidenced by the formation of a secondary HA layer on the scaffold surface. Among the scaffolds studied, PLA-BBG exhibited the highest osteocyte viability, followed by PLA-HA and then plain PLA samples. Our findings highlight the potential of DLP 3D printing for the fabrication of tailored polymer–ceramic scaffolds for BTE and other biomedical applications.
Recommended Citation
E. Gepek et al., "PLA-based Bone Tissue Engineering Scaffolds Incorporating Hydroxyapatite and Bioactive Glass using Digital Light Processing," International Journal of Bioprinting, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 573 - 598, AccSience Publishing, Jan 2025.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.36922/IJB025040029
Department(s)
Chemistry
Second Department
Biological Sciences
Third Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Publication Status
Open Access
Keywords and Phrases
Bioactive borate glass; Bioactivity; Biodegradation; Bone tissue engineering; Digital light processing; Hydrophilicity; Hydroxyapatite; Polylactic acid
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
2424-8002
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2025 The Authors, All rights reserved.
Creative Commons Licensing
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Publication Date
01 Jan 2025
