Fabrication of macroporous cement scaffolds using PEG particles: In vitro evaluation with induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal progenitors.
Calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) have been extensively used in reconstructive dentistry and orthopedics, but it is only recently that CPCs have been combined with stem cells to engineer biological substitutes with enhanced healing potential. In the present study, macroporous CPC scaffolds with defined composition were fabricated using an easily reproduced synthesis method, with minimal fabrication and processing steps. Scaffold pore size and porosity, essential for cell infiltration and tissue ingrowth, were tuned by varying the content and size of polyethylene glycol (PEG) particles, resulting in 9 groups with different architectural features. The scaffolds were characterized for chemical composition, porosity and mechanical properties, then tested in vitro with human mesenchymal progenitors derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-MPs). Biomimetic decellularized bone scaffolds were used as reference material in this study. Our manufacturing process resulted in the formation of macroporous monetite scaffolds with no residual traces of PEG. The size and content of PEG particles was found to affect scaffold porosity, and thus mechanical properties. Irrespective of pore size and porosity, the CPC scaffolds fabricated in this study supported adhesion and viability of human iPSC-MPs similarly to decellularized bone scaffolds. However, the architectural features of the scaffolds were found to affect the expression of bone specific genes, suggesting that specific scaffold groups could be more suitable to direct human iPSC-MPs in vitro toward an osteoblastic phenotype. Our simplistic fabrication method allows rapid, inexpensive and reproducible construction of macroporous CPC scaffolds with tunable architecture for potential use in dental and orthopedic applications.
The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: msladkova@nyscf.org.
Martina
M
Sladkova
Division of Applied Material Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Michael
M
Palmer
Division of Applied Material Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Caroline
C
Öhman
The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, USA.
Rawan Jaragh
RJ
Alhaddad
The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, USA.
Asmaa
A
Esmael
Division of Applied Material Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Håkan
H
Engqvist
The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, USA.
Giuseppe Maria
GM
de Peppo
D001843:Bone Cements / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016062:Porosity; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry
D001843:Bone Cements; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols
Biomaterial scaffold; Calcium phosphate cement; Induced pluripotent stem cells; Macroporosity; Mesenchymal progenitors; Tissue engineering