Osteogenic differentiation by pre-osteoblasts is enhanced more on 3D-PRINTED poly-ɛ-caprolactone scaffolds coated with collagen and hydroxyapatite than on poly-ɛ-caprolactone/hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds coated with collagen

Oct 28, 2025Journal of biomaterials applications

Pre-bone cells develop better on 3D-printed scaffolds coated with collagen and bone minerals than on mixed-material scaffolds coated with collagen

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Abstract

3D-printed PCL/col-HA scaffolds significantly enhanced osteogenic activity compared to unmodified PCL scaffolds.

Coating PCL scaffolds with collagen and hydroxyapatite altered their surface geometry and roughness.
PCL/col-HA and PCL-HA/col scaffolds exhibited higher surface roughness and elastic modulus but lower water contact angles than unmodified PCL scaffolds.
Finite element modeling indicated that all scaffold types could withstand compressive strain up to 2%, remaining below yield stress.
PCL-HA/col scaffolds promoted pre-osteoblast proliferation and collagen deposition, while PCL/col-HA scaffolds enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium deposition.
Osteogenic activity of pre-osteoblasts was greater on PCL/col-HA scaffolds than on PCL-HA/col scaffolds, particularly in the initial stages.

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Three-dimensional (3D)-printed poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) scaffolds lack sufficient bioactivity for optimal bone tissue engineering applications. This shortcoming can be overcome by coating PCL scaffolds with collagen and hydroxyapatite (PCL/col-HA) or by applying a collagen coating to PCL-HA composite scaffolds (PCL-HA/col). Here we aimed to test which type of scaffold is more effective in stimulating osteogenic activity. Moreover, the scaffolds' physicomechanical properties were characterized. 3D-printed PCL/col-HA containing 10, 20, or 30% HA particles, and 3D-printed PCL-HA/col containing 10, 20, or 30% HA particles with collagen coating were fabricated. MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts were cultured on the scaffolds for 14 days. The physicomechanical properties of the scaffolds and pre-osteoblast functionality were evaluated through experiments and finite element (FE) modeling. We found that coating of PCL scaffolds with collagen and HA or coating of PCL-HA composite scaffolds with collagen changed the geometry and topography of the scaffold surfaces. Furthermore, PCL/col-HA and PCL-HA/col showed higher surface roughness and elastic modulus, but lower water contact angle, than PCL scaffolds. FE-modeling showed that all scaffolds tolerated up to 2% compressive strain, which was lower than their yield stress. 3D-printed PCL/col-HA and PCL-HA/col scaffolds promoted pre-osteoblast proliferation and osteogenic activity compared to unmodified PCL scaffolds. PCL-HA/col scaffolds increased pre-osteoblast proliferation and collagen deposition, whereas PCL/col-HA scaffolds increased alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium deposition. Osteogenic activity of pre-osteoblasts was more enhanced on 3D-printed PCL/col-HA scaffolds than on PCL-HA/col scaffolds, particularly in the short-term, which seems promising forbone tissue engineering. in vivo

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Osteogenic differentiation by pre-osteoblasts is enhanced more on 3D-PRINTED poly-ɛ-caprolactone scaffolds coated with collagen and hydroxyapatite than on poly-ɛ-caprolactone/hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds coated with collagen

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