Development of 3D Bioactive Scaffolds through 3D Printing Using Wollastonite-Gelatin Inks

The bioactivity of scaffolds represents a key property to facilitate the bone repair after orthopedic trauma. This study reports the development of biomimetic paste-type inks based on wollastonite (CS) and fish gelatin (FG) in a mass ratio similar to natural bone, as an appealing strategy to promote the mineralization during scaffold incubation in simulated body fluid (SBF). High-resolution 3D scaffolds were fabricated through 3D printing, and the homogeneous distribution of CS in the protein matrix was revealed by scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction analysis (SEM/EDX) micrographs. The bioactivity of the scaffold was suggested by an outstanding mineralization capacity revealed by the apatite layers deposited on the scaffold surface after immersion in SBF. The biocompatibility was demonstrated by cell proliferation established by MTT assay and fluorescence microscopy images and confirmed by SEM micrographs illustrating cell spreading. This work highlights the potential of the bicomponent inks to fabricate 3D bioactive scaffolds and predicts the osteogenic properties for bone regeneration applications.