Integrating pore architectures to evaluate vascularization efficacy in silicate-based bioceramic scaffolds

Abstract

Pore architecture in bioceramic scaffolds plays an important role in facilitating vascularization efficiency during bone repair or orbital reconstruction. Many investigations have explored this relationship but lack integrating pore architectural features in a scaffold, hindering optimization of architectural parameters (geometry, size, curvature) to improve vascularization and consequently clinical outcomes. To address this challenge, we have developed an integrating design strategy to fabricate different pore architectures (cube, gyroid, hexagon) with different pore dimensions (∼350, 500, 650 μm) in the silicate-based bioceramic scaffolds via digital light processing technique. The sintered scaffolds maintained high-fidelity pore architectures similar to the printing model. The hexagon- and gyroid-pore scaffolds exhibited the highest and lowest compressive strength (from 15 to 55 MPa), respectively, but the cube-pore scaffolds showed appreciable elastic modulus. Moreover, the gyroid pore architecture contributed on a faster ion dissolution and mass decay in vitro. It is interesting that both μCT and histological analyses indicate vascularization efficiency was challenged even in the 650-μm pore region of hexagon-pore scaffolds within 2 weeks in rabbit models, but the gyroid pore constructs indicated appreciable blood vessel networks even in the 350-μm pore region at 2 weeks and high-density blood vessels were uniformly invaded in the 500- and 650-μm pore at 4 weeks. Angiogenesis was facilitated in the cube-pore scaffolds in comparison with the hexagon-pore ones within 4 weeks. These studies demonstrate that the continuous pore wall curvature feature in gyroid pore architecture is an important implication for biodegradation, vascular cell migration and vessel ingrowth in porous bioceramic scaffolds.

Bioceramic scaffolds with triply periodic minimal surface architectures guide early-stage bone regeneration

“…The DLP-based printing process is versatile for a variety of bioceramic compositions [ 53 ]. The optimal pore size and porosity of bioceramic scaffolds are designed to be greater than 500 μm and 50%, respectively, to provide good permeability [ 52 , 54 , 55 ]. The pore network model of the scaffold was obtained based on the principle of maximum sphere algorithm.…”

Periodontal bone regeneration with a degradable thermoplastic HA/PLCL bone graft

“…The structure with hybrid micro and macropores was dynamically developed with the degradation process, which is considered a beneficial characteristic for new bone formation and blood vessel ingrowth. 45,46 In contrast, dense HA and PLCL degraded slowly under the given conditions, with 6% and 3% weight loss at 12 weeks (Fig. 5(A)), and surface morphology was mostly maintained (data were not shown).…”

A Biodegradable Metal‐Polymer Composite Stent Safe and Effective on Physiological and Serum‐Containing Biomimetic Conditions

“…The next-generation biomaterials are regarded as bioactive and biodegradable. [41] Both cell-material interactions [42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52] and biodegradation regulations [53][54][55][56][57][58] have been investigated, and even some in vivo studies in animal models and clinical research have been reported. [59][60][61][62] It also leads to a serious question about the biosafety along the biodegradation.…”