title: In vitro cell-biological performance and structural characterization of selective laser sintered and plasma surface functionalized polycaprolactone scaffolds for bone regeneration.
abstract: In the present study a structural characterization and in vitro cell-biological evaluation was performed on polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds that were produced by the additive manufacturing technique selective laser sintering (SLS), followed by a plasma-based surface modification technique, either non-thermal oxygen plasma or double protein coating, to functionalize the PCL scaffold surfaces. In the first part of this study pore morphology by means of 2D optical microscopy, surface chemistry by means of hydrophilicity measurement and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, strut surface roughness by means of 3D micro-computed tomography (CT) imaging and scaffold mechanical properties by means of compression testing were evaluated before and after the surface modifications. The results showed that both surface modifications increased the PCL scaffold hydrophilicity without altering the morphological and mechanical properties. In the second part of this study the in vitro cell proliferation and differentiation of human osteoprogenitor cells, over 14 days of culture in osteogenic and growth medium were investigated. The O2 plasma modification gave rise to a significant lower in vitro cell proliferation compared to the untreated and double protein coated scaffolds. Furthermore the double protein coating increased in vitro cell metabolic activity and cell differentiation compared to the untreated and O2 plasma PCL scaffolds when OM was used.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Division of Production Engineering, Machine Design and Automation, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. simon.vanbael@mech.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Bael
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Desmet
authors.forename: Yoke Chin
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pyka
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dubruel
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kruth
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schrooten
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D001861:Bone Regeneration; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D010012:Osteogenesis; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
chemical_list: D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase