Fabrication of tissue engineered PCL scaffold by selective laser-sintered machine for osteogeneisis of adipose-derived stem cells

Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a bioresorbable polymer with potential applications for bone and cartilage repair. In this work, three-dimensional (3D) and porous PCL scaffolds were designed and fabricated via selective laser sintering (SLS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the osteogenic potential of porcine adipose-derived stem cells (pASCs) in a laser-sintered PCL (lsPCL) scaffold. The character of the lsPCL scaffold was evaluated. The pore size and the microstructure were observed by SEM. The pASCs were harvested and isolated from pig inguinal area. Then, the lsPCL scaffold was seeded with ASCs and cultured in osteogenic medium for 0 and 14 days. Cell proliferation was measured by MTS. Alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) was detected using biochemical methods. SEM was used to observe the interaction between scaffold and cell. An energy dispersive spectrum (EDS) was used to analyze the mineralization in each group. Porosity was around 83%; pore size was around 300–400 µm. Both MTS and ALP showed significant increase after subcultivation in osteogenic medium for 14 days. SEM detailed that the pASCs cell can attach well to the lsPCL scaffold. The energy dispersive spectrum (EDS) also demonstrated calcium deposits around pASCs after osteo-induction for 14 days. In contrast, no mineralization was found around ASCs after osteo-induction of 0 days. In conclusion, the laser-sintered PCL is a suitable scaffold for the proliferation of ASCs. The ASCs were also well differentiated into osteoblasts in the 3D, porous, laser-sintered PCL scaffold.