Comparative Assessment of the Ability of Dual-Pore Structure and Hydroxyapatite to Enhance the Proliferation of Osteoblast-Like Cells in Well-Interconnected Scaffolds

Abstract

In this study, to compare the relative abilities of dual-pore structure and hydroxyapatite to enhance the proliferation of osteoblastlike cell in well-interconnected scaffolds, several types of scaffolds were fabricated using combined SLUP (Salt-Leaching Using Powder) and WNM (Wire-Network Molding) techniques: well-interconnected dual-pore scaffolds with hydroxyapatite particles, wellinterconnected dual-pore scaffolds without hydroxyapatite particles, and single-pore scaffolds with hydroxyapatite particles. To assess the characteristics of the fabricated scaffolds, their morphology, compressive modulus, water absorption, and in-vitro cell activity were measured. Consequently, it was found that while the hydroxyapatite (which is hydrophilic) provides some advantage for cell attachment, the cell attachment in the dual-pore scaffold with hydroxyapatite particles was similar to that of the dual-pore scaffold without hydroxyapatite particles. Moreover, regarding cell proliferation, we verified that the effect of the dual-pore structure was dominant compared with the existence of hydroxyapatite particles and co-existence of dual-pore structure/hydroxyapatite particles. However, the cell vitality of the dual-pore scaffold with hydroxyapatite particles was higher than that of the dual-pore scaffold without hydroxyapatite particles because of ions released by the hydroxyapatite particles.