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Novel 3D-printed methacrylated chitosan-laponite nanosilicate composite scaffolds enhance cell growth and biomineral formation in MC3T3 pre-osteoblasts

  • End of Focus Section: Biomedical Materials, Regenerative Medicine and Drug Delivery
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Abstract

This study compared the effect of gelatin- and chitosan-based scaffolds on osteoblast biomineralization. These scaffolds have been modified using methacrylate and laponite nanosilicates to improve their mechanical strength and support osteoblast function. Scaffold materials were prepared to have the same compressive strength (14–15 MPa) such that differences in cell response would be isolated to differences in biopolymer chemistry. The materials were tested for rheological properties to optimize the bio-ink for successful 3D printing using a robocast-assisted deposition system. Osteoblasts were cultured on the surface of 3D-printed methacrylated chitosan-laponite (MAC-Lp), methacrylated gelatin-laponite (MAG-Lp), MAC, and MAG scaffolds. MAC-Lp scaffolds showed increased cell viability, cell growth, and biomineral formation as compared to MAG-Lp scaffolds. FTIR results showed the presence of higher biomineral phosphate and extracellular matrix (ECM) collagen-like amide formation on MAC-Lp scaffolds as compared to MAG-Lp scaffolds. MAC-Lp scaffolds showed increased density of ECM-like tissue from SEM analysis, stained mineral nodules from Alizarin staining, and the existence of Ca–P species evident by X-ray absorbance near edge structure analysis. In conclusion, MAC-Lp scaffolds enhanced osteoblast growth and biomineral formation as compared to MAG-Lp scaffolds.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Mr. Taha Azimaie for his important discussions on the use of the biopolymers studied in this work. The authors would also like to thank the personnel at the UTA CCMB and the TAMU-COD Microscopy and Histology Core for access and advice on the use of various equipment from which data were collected and presented in this manuscript. The authors would also like to thank Dr. Lucia Zuin, Dr. Tom Reiger, and Dr. Yongfeng Wu at the Canadian Light Source Synchrotron for their assistance with obtaining XANES data and analysis. Finally, we would also like to thank the National Institutes of Health for their kind support on this work (R03, Varanasi, PI).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, 76019, USA

    Tugba Cebe, Kamal Awad, Kimaya Vyavhare, Pranesh Aswath & Venu Varanasi

  2. Department of Graduate Nursing, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, 76019, USA

    Neelam Ahuja, Felipe Monte, Jian Huang, Marco Brotto & Venu Varanasi

  3. Department of Refractories and Ceramics, National Research Centre, Giza, 12622, Egypt

    Kamal Awad

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  1. Tugba Cebe
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Correspondence to Venu Varanasi.

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Cebe, T., Ahuja, N., Monte, F. et al. Novel 3D-printed methacrylated chitosan-laponite nanosilicate composite scaffolds enhance cell growth and biomineral formation in MC3T3 pre-osteoblasts. Journal of Materials Research 35, 58–75 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2018.260

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