Summary
Published in Journal of Functional Biomaterials (2023), this peer-reviewed study used 3D Petri Dish® micro-molds to form scaffold-free 3D microtissues. Full citation: Kronemberger, Gabriela S., et al. A Synergic Strategy: Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Spheroids Seeded on 3D-Printed PLA/CHA Scaffolds Implanted in a Bone Critical-Size Defect Model
A Synergic Strategy: Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Spheroids Seeded on 3D-Printed PLA/CHA Scaffolds Implanted in a Bone Critical-Size Defect Model
Research Overview
Critical-size bone defects and non-union fractures cannot heal on their own, motivating bone-engineering alternatives. This study evaluated adipose-derived stem cell spheroids combined with 3D-printed scaffolds of poly(lactic acid) and carbonate-doped nanostructured hydroxyapatite in a rat cranial critical-size defect model.
In vitro, the spheroids spread across and interacted with the printed scaffold while synthesizing growth factors and cytokines critical to bone regeneration, including VEGF. Histology at three and six months after implantation showed new bone forming within the PLA/CHA scaffold — evidence that the spheroid–scaffold combination promotes regeneration.
Key Discoveries
- ASC spheroids paired with 3D-printed PLA / carbonate-hydroxyapatite scaffolds
- Spheroids spread on the scaffold and secreted VEGF and other pro-regenerative factors
- New bone formed within the scaffold at 3 and 6 months in a rat cranial critical-size defect
