Development and characterization of a porous poly(methyl methacrylate) scaffold with controllable modulus and...

Functional restoration following extensive bone injury often requires bone grafting. The primary source of graft material is either autograft or allograft. The use of both material sources is well established, however both suffer limitations. In response, grafting alternatives are being investigated. This manuscript presents the development of a highly porous scaffold with controllable elastic modulus and permeability for use in tissue grafting and tissue engineering applications that is manufactured from FDA approved poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Fifteen protocol variations based on the commonly used porogen leaching technique for porous scaffold fabrication were employed to control scaffold pore size, pore interconnectivity, and structural strength. Scaffolds were tested for porosity, permeability, elastic modulus, cell culture compatibility, and fatigue tested in compression. Scaffold permeability ranged from 6.6 x 10(-16) m(2) to 1.4 x 10(-10) m(2), and elastic modulus was adjustable between 14 and 322 MPa; data similar to cancellous bone specimens from a variety of species and anatomic locations. Fatigue evaluations revealed 65% strength maintenance after 80,000 loading cycles, and in vitro culture with marrow-derived stromal cells show no cytotoxic effects based on Live/Dead assay. The scaffolds detailed herein will help broaden the spectrum of available orthopaedic tissue scaffolds for research in this evolving field. , 2007.