title: Effects of scaffold architecture on cranial bone healing.
abstract: In the present study, polycaprolactone-tricalcium phosphate (PCL/TCP) scaffolds with two different fibre laydown patterns, which were coated with hydroxyapatite and gelatine, were used as an approach for optimizing bone regeneration in a critical-sized calvarial defect. After 12 weeks, bone regeneration was quantified using microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) analysis, biomechanical testing, and histological evaluation. Notably, the experimental groups with coated scaffolds showed lower bone formation and lower biomechanical properties within the defect compared to the uncoated scaffolds. Surprisingly, the different laydown pattern of the fibres resulted in different bone formation and biomechanical properties: the 0°/60°/120° scaffolds revealed lower bone formation and biomechanical properties compared to the 0°/90° scaffolds in all the experimental groups. Therefore, future bone regeneration strategies utilizing scaffolds should consider scaffold architecture as an important factor during the scaffold optimization stages in order to move closer to a clinical application.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Department of Trauma Surgery, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Woodruff
authors.affiliation: Division of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: C X F
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Division of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Arafat
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saifzadeh
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Steck
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma Surgery, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nerlich
authors.affiliation: Division of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ekaputra
authors.affiliation: Division of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: dietmar.hutmacher@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Hutmacher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001861:Bone Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000494:pharmacology; D017886:Durapatite / Q000494:pharmacology; D005782:Gels / Q000494:pharmacology; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011091:Polyesters / Q000494:pharmacology; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013499:Surface Properties; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D005782:Gels; D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone; D017886:Durapatite; C018392:tricalcium phosphate
keywords: bone tissue engineering; laydown pattern; polycaprolactone; rat skull defect; scaffolds