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Updated: Jan 16, 2026
Author Spotlight: Enhancing Bone Regeneration with Vascularized Artificial Cartilage Integration
Published on: July 14, 2023
Engineering Poly(L-Lactic Acid)/Hydroxyapatite Scaffolds via Melt-Electrowriting: Enhancement of Osteochondral Cell
Valentina Basoli1, Vittorio Barbano2,3, Cecilia Bärtschi1
1Medical Additive Manufacturing Research Group (Swiss MAM), Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Hegenheimermattweg 167C, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland.
Abstract:
Osteochondral repair remains challenging due to cartilage's limited self-healing capacity and the structural complexity of the osteochondral interface, particularly the hypertrophic layer anchoring cartilage to bone. We fabricated melt electrowritten (MEW) poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) scaffolds incorporating 1%, 5%, and 10% hydroxyapatite (HAp) to provide a precise fiber architecture (~200 μm pores) and bone-mimetic biochemical cues. Human nasal chondrocytes (hNCs), currently in clinical trials for knee cartilage repair, were selected for their phenotypic plasticity and established safety profile, facilitating translational potential. HAp-PLLA scaffolds, especially at higher HAp contents, enhanced hNC adhesion, proliferation, mineralization, and maintenance of cartilage-specific ECM compared to PLLA alone. This work demonstrates the first high-HAp MEW-printed PLLA scaffold for osteochondral repair, integrating architectural precision with bioactivity in a clinically relevant cell-material system.
