Hierarchical mesoporous bioactive glass/alginate composite scaffolds fabricated by three-dimensional plotting for bone tissue engineering

Constructing bioactive scaffolds with controllable architecture for bone tissue engineering and drug delivery still maintains a significant challenge. In this study, we have developed a composite material consisting of mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG) and concentrated alginate pastes for fabrication of hierarchical scaffolds by 3D plotting. The scaffold structure contains well-ordered nano-channels, micropores as well as controllable macropores beneficial for bone tissue engineering applications and drug delivery. The structural architecture of the scaffolds has been optimized by efficient designing of the plotting coordination. The effects of MBG on mechanical strength, apatite mineralization, cytocompatibility and drug delivery properties of the composite scaffolds have been systematically studied. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectrometry were used to characterize composition and microstructure of the composite scaffolds. The MBG/alginate pastes showed good processability in the 3D plotting process, in which stable MBG/alginate composite scaffolds with controllable architecture can be prepared. The incorporation of MBG particles significantly improved the mechanical properties and apatite-mineralization ability of alginate scaffolds as well as enhanced the attachment and alkaline phosphatase activity of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells cultivated onto the scaffolds. Dexamethasone, used as a model drug, can be efficiently loaded in MBG particles and then incorporated into alginate scaffolds resulting in a more sustained release as a function of the MBG content. Our results have indicated that 3D-plotted MBG incorporated alginate scaffolds with well-ordered nano-pores, controllable large pores, and significantly improved physicochemical, biological and drug-delivery properties could be a platform for bone tissue engineering.