3D-poly (lactic acid) scaffolds coated with gelatin and mucic acid for bone tissue engineering

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a promising technology to fabricate the intricate biomimetic structure. The primary focus of this study was to develop the bioactive 3D-scaffolds to enhance bone regeneration. The 3D-poly (lactic acid) (PLA) scaffolds were extruded based on a computer-aided design (CAD) model and coated with gelatin (Gel) containing different concentrations of mucic acid (MA) and were investigated for their osteogenic potential. Coating the PLA scaffolds with Gel/MA improved their physicochemical properties, and the addition of MA did not alter these properties. The viability of mouse mesenchymal stem cells (mMSCs, C3H10T1/2) seeded onto the PLA/Gel/MA scaffolds remained unaffected both at metabolic and cell membrane integrity levels. Alkaline phosphatase and von Kossa staining indicated the promotion of osteoblast differentiation of mMSCs by MA in the PLA/Gel scaffolds. Inclusion of MA in PLA/Gel scaffolds also increased the expression of the master bone transcription factor, Runx2, and other osteoblastic differentiation marker genes in mMSCs. Thus, our results suggested that the 3D-printed PLA scaffolds coated with Gel/MA favor osteoblast differentiation and have potential applications in bone tissue engineering.