SiO₂-CaO_CME/Poly(Tetrahydrofuran)/Poly(Caprolactone) 3D-Printed Scaffolds Drive Human-Bone Marrow Stromal Cell...

This article addresses the unmet clinical need of scaffolds for bone regeneration that can combine osteogenic properties, such as the promotion of bone marrow stem cell differentiation into osteoblasts, with the ability to withstand cyclic loading. In our previous study, we demonstrated that discs of SiO₂-CaO_CME/poly(tetrahydrofuran)/poly(caprolactone) hybrids or their dissolution products can drive terminal osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells (h-BMSCs) in vitro. The current study shows that the 3D-printed hybrid scaffolds with physiologically relevant 3D architecture further promote h-BMSC osteogenesis. The 3D-printed scaffolds support spatially organized cell behavior in an environment mirroring conditions relevant to off-the-shelf implant applications. Primary cellular functions, including viability, adhesion, and proliferation, were maintained across 3D scaffold surfaces and within inter-strut regions. osteogenic commitment was evidenced by the upregulation of lineage-specific transcripts, hydroxyapatite deposition, and the organized assembly of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Our results demonstrate that 3D-printed scaffolds drive osteogenesis by modulating cell metabolism, inducing osteogenic morphological transitions, and promoting the expression of osteocalcin and collagen type I alpha 1 chain, alongside hydroxyapatite matrix mineralization. Collectively, our findings highlight the SiO₂-CaO_CME/poly(tetrahydrofuran)/poly(caprolactone) scaffold's strong osteogenic properties-driven by composition, surface architecture, and ion release - and its promise for clinical bone regeneration.