3D Printing Hierarchical Porous Nanofibrous Scaffold for Bone Regeneration
Zhiai Hu, Hengyi Lin, Zhenming Wang, Yating Yi, Shujuan Zou, Hao Liu, Xianglong Han, Xin Rong
Abstract
Current limitations in 3D printing pose significant challenges for the fabrication of hierarchical 3D scaffolds with nanofibrous structures that simulate the natural bone extracellular matrix (ECM) for enhanced bone regeneration. This study presents an innovative approach to 3D printing customized hierarchical porous scaffolds with nanofiber structures using biodegradable nanofibrous microspheres as the bio-ink. In vitro investigations demonstrate that the hierarchical porous architecture substantially enhances cell infiltration and proliferation rates, while the nanofiber topology provides physical cues to guide osteogenic differentiation and ECM deposition. When serving as a cell carrier, the 3D-printed nanofibrous scaffold promotes bone tissue regeneration and integration in vivo. Additionally, the facile and versatile chemical modification facilitates the precise tailoring of the scaffold's functionality. Using nanofibrous microspheres with highly biomimetic and versatile modification properties as the foundational constituent in this universal 3D printing methodology enables comprehensive manipulation of scaffolding biological properties, spanning from macroscopic external morphology to molecular-scale biochemical kinetics, thereby addressing a diverse spectrum of clinical requisites.