Fabrication and Characteristic Evaluation of Three-Dimensional Blended PCL (60 wt %)/beta-TCP (40 wt %) Scaffold

In tissue engineering, a scaffold is a three-dimensional(3D) structure that serves as a template for regeneration the functions of damaged tissues or organs. Among materials for scaffolds, polycaprolactone(PCL) and beta-tricalcium phosphate(beta-TCP) are biodegradable and biocompatible. In this study, we fabricated 3D PCL, blended PCL (60 wt %)/beta-TCP (40 wt %), and pure beta-TCP scaffolds by a multi-head scaffold fabrication system. Scaffolds with a pore size of 600 +/- 20 mu m was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The effects of 3D PCL, blended PCL (60 wt %)/beta-TCP (40 wt %) and pure beta-TCP scaffolds were analyzed by evaluating their mechanical characteristics. In addition, in an in-vitro study using osteoblast-like saos-2 cells, we confirmed the effects of 3D scaffolds on cellular behaviors such as cell adhesion and proliferation. In summary, the 3D blended PCL (60 wt %)/beta-TCP (40 wt %) scaffold was found to be suitable for human cancellous bone in terms of its the compressive strength, biocompatibility, and osteoconductivity. Thus, blending PCL and beta-TCP could be a promising approach for fabricating 3D scaffolds for effective bone regeneration.