Scaffolds For Tissue Engineering Applications Research Articles

3D printed scaffolds for tissue engineering applications: Mechanical, morphological, thermal, in-vitro and in-vivo investigations

Thermoplastic composites of polylactic acid (PLA)-hydroxyapatite (HAp)-chitosan (CS) (in 91-8-1% weight proportion) is one of the acceptable composition/proportions for preparation of biomedical scaffolds (printed by fused deposition modeling (FDM)) in tissue engineering applications. But hitherto, little has been reported on the repair of PLA-HAp-CS based orthopedic scaffolds, especially in case of minor surface cracks observed post-surgery (maybe because of residual stresses/accident, etc.) from mechanical, thermal, in-vitro, in-vivo, and morphological analysis viewpoint. In this study, the 3D printed scaffolding structures of PLA-HAp-CS (3D printed on FDM) were further joined by friction stir spot welding (FSSW) process for minor repairs (such as surface cracks). The joints formed by the FSSW process were subjected to mechanical, thermal, cytotoxicity (by in-vitro, in-vivo analysis) and morphological analysis. The study results suggest that joints prepared using the consumable tool in FSSW have good mechanical, thermal stability, a good range of biocompatibility, and suitable tissue engineering applications. For FSSW of 3D printed scaffolding structures of PLA-HAp-CS, 1000rpm tool rotational speed, 4mm consumable plunge depth, and 40s stirring time are the optimized set of process parameters. The results are also supported by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis.

Layered double hydroxide-based nanocomposite scaffolds in tissue engineering applications.

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs), when incorporated into biomaterials, provide a tunable composition, controllable particle size, anion exchange capacity, pH-sensitive solubility, high-drug loading efficiency, efficient gene and drug delivery, controlled release and effective intracellular uptake, natural biodegradability in an acidic medium, and negligible toxicity. In this review, we study potential applications of LDH-based nanocomposite scaffolds for tissue engineering. We address how LDHs provide new solutions for nanostructure stability and enhance in vivo studies' success.

Electrospun Fiber Scaffolds for Engineering Glial Cell Behavior to Promote Neural Regeneration.

Electrospinning is a fabrication technique used to produce nano- or micro- diameter fibers to generate biocompatible, biodegradable scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. Electrospun fiber scaffolds are advantageous for neural regeneration because they mimic the structure of the nervous system extracellular matrix and provide contact guidance for regenerating axons. Glia are non-neuronal regulatory cells that maintain homeostasis in the healthy nervous system and regulate regeneration in the injured nervous system. Electrospun fiber scaffolds offer a wide range of characteristics, such as fiber alignment, diameter, surface nanotopography, and surface chemistry that can be engineered to achieve a desired glial cell response to injury. Further, electrospun fibers can be loaded with drugs, nucleic acids, or proteins to provide the local, sustained release of such therapeutics to alter glial cell phenotype to better support regeneration. This review provides the first comprehensive overview of how electrospun fiber alignment, diameter, surface nanotopography, surface functionalization, and therapeutic delivery affect Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system and astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia in the central nervous system both in vitro and in vivo. The information presented can be used to design and optimize electrospun fiber scaffolds to target glial cell response to mitigate nervous system injury and improve regeneration.

The Potential of a Tailored Biomimetic Hydrogel for In Vitro Cell Culture Applications: Characterization and Biocompatibility

In this study, the Pluronic F127 with modified tripeptide Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp copolymer (hereafter defined as 3BE) hydrogel was evaluated in terms of its biocompatibility potentials. The fibroblasts (Swiss 3T3 cell line) and human hair follicles-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HFMSCs) were cultured in different concentrations of the 3BE hydrogel (0%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.25%, and 0.5%, respectively). The cell morphology and differentiation potential of HFMSCs were observed through optical microscopy, and the cell viability was investigated via Live/Dead Kit and Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Analytical results showed that HFMSC can differentiate into adipogenic, chondrogenic, and osteogenic lineages. The HFMSC and Swiss 3T3 cells would properly assemble into a spherical shape as cultured with the 3BE hydrogel. Most importantly, cell viability could be maintained above 70%. The formation of spheroid structures of cells within this hydrogel is predicted to promote cell differentiation potentials of HFMSC that benefit in generating functional adipocytes, chondrocytes, and osteoblasts. Therefore, these findings demonstrate that the 3BE hydrogel has great potential as a three-dimensional cell culture scaffold for tissue engineering applications.

Influence of varying concentrations of chitosan coating on the pore wall of polycaprolactone based porous scaffolds for tissue engineering application

The study's purpose was to fabricate a 3-D porous scaffold, in which chitosan was coated onto the pore wall of polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds as a bioactive agent to maximize the cell recognition signals, to improve the osteoconductivity of the scaffolds. The pppporogen leaching technique has been modified and used in the fabrication process, comprising of the coating of chitosan over the porogen followed by transferring of coating to the pore wall of the PCL scaffold. The cytotoxicity and hemolysis results indicated chitosan's presence over the surface of the scaffold's pore walls has significantly enhanced its biocompatibility. Scaffolds coated with 2.5 %(w/v) chitosan shows 6.74 % increase in porosity and 207.96 % upsurge in mechanical strength, compared to PCL scaffolds. The Gene-expression also proves the study groups of scaffolds show the minimal osteogenic expression. Therefore, chitosan coating over the scaffold's pore wall's surface opens an unconventional approach for tissue engineering applications.

Fabrication and characterization of conductive polypyrrole/chitosan/collagen electrospun nanofiber scaffold for tissue engineering application

Conductive electrospun nanofiber scaffold containing conductive polypyrrole (PPy) polymer was fabricated to accelerate healing of damaged tissues. In order to prepare these scaffolds, various weight percentages of polypyrrole (5, 10, 15, 20, 25%) relative to the polymers combination (chitosan, collagen, and polyethylene oxide) were used. The fabricated composite scaffolds were characterized using chemical, morphological, physio-mechanical, and biological analyses including; FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, electrical conductivity, tensile test, in vitro degradation, MTT Assay and cell culture. The polypyrrole particles were perfectly dispersed inside the nanofibers, and the fibers average diameter were reducing by increasing the polypyrrole content in the composites. The presence of polypyrrole in fibers enhanced their conductivity up to 164.274 × 10−3 s/m which is in the range of semi-conductive and conductive polymers. MTT and SEM analyses displayed that nanofibers composing 10% polypyrrole possess better cell adhesion, growth and proliferation properties comparing to other compositions. Furthermore, the suitable mechanical properties of scaffolds ideally fitted them for different kinds of tissue applications including skin, nerve, heart muscle, etc. Therefore, these fabricated conductive nanofiber scaffolds are particularly appropriate for employing in body parts with electrical signals such as cardiovascular, heart muscles, or nerves.

Enhancing biocompatibility of polyaniline-based scaffolds by using a bioactive dopant

The role of dopant in the cytotoxicity of polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers was investigated invitro. The testing was carried out on extracts of nanofibers to show the release of dopants in the cell culture medium and their positive or negative effects at different concentrations. In this work, camphor sulfonic acid (CSA) has been replaced by taurine (Tau) in PANI/poly(ethersulfone) (PES) nanofibrous scaffolds that possesses both electrical conductivity and bioactivity. The conductive scaffolds were fabricated via electrospinning and the effect of Tau and CSA on morphology, conductivity, and biocompatibility of scaffolds were studied. The extraction of the CSA-doped PANI nanofibers showed moderate cytotoxicity, while the viability of cells fed with the extraction of Tau-doped PANI nanofibers was higher than other samples. We proposed that PANI-Tau-based nanofibers can be used as a bioactive conductive scaffold for tissue engineering applications. This approach can be an important step towards improving the biocompatibility of conductive PANI-based biomaterials.

A Dexamethasone-Eluting Porous Scaffold for Bone Regeneration Fabricated by Selective Laser Sintering.

Additive manufacture (AM) has been widely and rapidly applied in fabrication of 3D porous scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. For synthetic polymers of high melting temperature, the melting-extruding technique is the most applied AM method for such fabrication of polymer porous scaffolds. This results in a big challenge to directly process the scaffolds using the polymers and thermosensitive substances simultaneously because of deactivation under high temperature. In this article, the selective laser sintering (SLS) method was proposed to make a poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) porous scaffold containing dexamethasone (Dex) simultaneously. Dex was encapsulated in two groups of PLLA-bioactive glass (BG) composite microspheres with an average diameter of 115-120 μm and loading amounts of 0.68 ± 0.09 and 0.84 ± 0.10 μg/mg, respectively. The drug-loading composite microspheres were then fabricated into scaffolds under a laser fluence of 0.83-2.08 J/mm2. The average pore size and compressive modulus for the porous scaffold were 450-500 μm and 18-25 MPa, respectively. Drug release experiments showed that Dex was released from the scaffold in a controlled manner until about a month. The eluting time of HPLC tests before or after SLS processing both presented at 4 min indicated no chemical structure changes for the drug. Ex vivo cell experiments also testified the comparable effect of released Dex with commercial products, showing that the bioactivities were not affected after SLS. Implantation of the composite scaffolds in rat cranium defects demonstrated that new bone and blood vessel formation was faster in the Dex-releasing scaffolds than in the groups without drug loading.

Biopolymer-based Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering Applications.

Tissue engineering is governed by the use of cells and polymers. The cells may be accounted for the type of tissue to be targeted, while polymers may vary from natural to synthetic. The natural polymers have advantages such as non-immunogenic and complex structures that help in the formation of bonds in comparison to the synthetic ones. Various targeted drug delivery systems have been prepared using polymers and cells, such as nanoparticles, hydrogels, nanofibers, and microspheres. The design of scaffolds depends on the negative impact of material used on the human body and they have been prepared using surface modification technique or neo material synthesis. The dermal substitutes are a distinctive array that aims at the replacement of skin parts either through grafting or some other means. This review focuses on biomaterials for their use in tissue engineering. This article shall provide the bird's eye view of the scaffolds and dermal substitutes, which are naturally derived.

Catalytic degradation of 4-Nitrophenol and methylene blue by bioinspired polydopamine coated dipeptide structures

In terms of high surface roughness and porous structure, PDOP coated dipeptide structures can be used in adsorption studies through their functional groups. Besides, PDOP coated dipeptide structures decorated with plasmonic nanoparticles have the potential to be used in application areas such as catalysis, drug release. Firstly, the structures obtained as a result of self-assembly in the PDOP coating and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) decoration process of PDOP coated flower-like peptide structures were examined. Morphological characterization was performed Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) method. The structural transformation of the dipeptide was performed Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy method (FTIR). Then, the usage of PDOP coated diphenylalanine (FF) dipeptide bio-inspired materials was decorated with AgNPs, catalysis and adsorption studies were investigated. For this purpose, the conversion of 4-nitrophenol (4NP) molecule to 4-aminophenol (4AP) was carried out rapidly with a low amount (1.5 mg) of bio-inspired peptide structures. Also, the reduction of the methylene blue (MB) molecule was performed. Because of the negative surface charge of the PDOP coated dipeptide molecules, the blue color of the positively charged MB molecules is quickly removed and reduced from the aqueous medium. In this way, it was possible to use an adsorbent to remove and degradation some molecules from the solvent medium, drug carrier for the medicinal applications, and as a scaffold in tissue engineering applications.

Ecofriendly production of bioactive tissue engineering scaffolds derived from egg- and sea-shells

Managing the vast amounts of eggshell and sea-shell waste that is produced globally each year is becoming very problematic as this material is simply disposed of in landfills. This waste results in odor production and microbial growth directly leading to environmental stresses. Transforming this waste into valuable biomaterials pose significant environmental and economic advantages as discarded waste have materials that can be utilized. The objective of this work was to develop inexpensive, bioactive hydroxyapatite-based scaffolds for tissue engineering applications by using an eco-friendly and sustainable approach. Engineering nano hydroxyapatite (EnHA) was derived from chicken eggshell and clam sea-shell waste by using an energy efficient microwave assisted wet chemical precipitation method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used to analyze the biomaterials. Results show that the particles are highly crystalline hydroxyapatite (HA) with acicular shapes and within nanometer size ranges. The chemical compositions match exactly that of naturally occurring HA. The EnHA infused polymer scaffolds were fabricated using slurry-based solution 3D printing techniques. The slurry solutions composed of 70 wt% EnHA and 30 wt% Polycarpolactone (PCL). The XRD, SEM, EDS, and in vitro cell studies were conducted to determine the ability of the scaffolds to support cell adhesion and maintain viability. The scaffolds supported cellular attachment and maintenance when observed over a period of several days, suggesting their potential for future tissue regeneration research and applications.

Acoustic and mechanical characterization of gelatin methacryloyl scaffolds for tissue engineering applications

Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) is a highly biocompatible, biodegradable material and a 3-D printable option for constructing tissue engineering scaffolds. Improved material characterization of GelMA is necessary to optimize preparation techniques, evaluate tissue similarities, and validate tissue engineering potential. Conventional testing methods are through destructive, one-time measurements, yet nondestructive tests are desired for evaluating long-term changes. In the present study, ultrasound techniques were utilized to measure mechanical properties of GelMA tissue scaffolds. Varying concentrations of GelMA and ultraviolet light curing time produced scaffolds with a range of material properties. Ultrasound pulse-echo techniques were used for a non-destructive acoustic characterization procedure, and parameters including speed of sound, acoustic impedance, and attenuation coefficient were measured. To further evaluate the material properties of the scaffolds, compression testing was performed. Physical parameters of GelMA were found to be similar to those of native tissues, demonstrating that GelMA scaffolds are biomimetic. The impact of GelMA concentration and curing time will be discussed to inform the selection of preparation parameters for specific tissues. Acoustic characterization proves to be a promising technique for evaluating the structure and function of the scaffolds and could serve as an indicator of tissue scaffold health while providing real-time monitoring in vivo.

Regenerated cellulose nanofibers from cellulose acetate: Incorporating hydroxyapatite (HAp) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs), as a scaffold for tissue engineering applications

Cellulose nanofibers, which are troublesome to spin into fibers, can be easily fabricated by post-regeneration of its acetate-derived threads. Cellulose is a natural polymer; it enjoys better biocompatibility, cellular mimicking, and hydrophilic properties than its proportionate analog. Herein, we regenerated acetate-free nanofibers by alkaline de-acetylation of as-spun nanofibers. The resultant cellulose nanofibers previously loaded with hydroxyapatite (HAp) were immobilized using silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) by reduction of adsorbed Ag ions on using sodium borohydride. These amalgamated nanofibers were characterized for SEM, EDX, TEM, FTIR, and hydrophilicity tests revealing the existence of both HAp and Ag NPs in/on the nanofiber scaffolds. The de-acetylation of composite nanofibers resulted in spontaneous hydrophilicity. These nanofibers were cytocompatible, as resolved by MTT assay conducted on chicken embryo fibroblasts. The SEM of the samples after cell culture revealed that these composites allowed a proliferation of the fibroblasts over and within the nanofiber network, and increased concentration of HAp levitated the excessive of apatite formation as well as increased cell growth. The antimicrobial activity of these nanofibers was assessed on E. coli (BL21) and S. aureus, suggesting the potential of de-acetylated nanofibers to restrain bacterial growth. The degradation study for 10, 30, and 60 days indicated degradation of the fibers much is faster in enzymes as compared to degradation in PBS. The results certify that these nanofibers possess enormous potential for soft and hard tissue engineering besides their antimicrobial properties.

Optimizing the physical parameters of polycaprolactone-gelatin-polydimethylsiloxane composite nanofiber scaffold for tissue engineering application

A lot of research has already been conducted on tissue engineering as it can have the potential for organ and tissue regeneration and repair. Research on the proliferation of cells on the scaffolds, which are material-based structures in the extracellular matrix, increased efficiency of 3D cultures. In this study, the stages of preparing a nanofiber scaffold with different ratios of three polymers of Polycaprolactone/Gelatin/Polydimethylsiloxane (PCL/G/PDMS) which is biodegradable, non-toxic and biocompatible are explained for tissue engineering and then fibroblast cells cultivation are discussed. The morphology, porosity and hydrophilicity of the prepared scaffolds were evaluated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), the liquid displacement method, water contact-angle measurements respectively. The cell growth and proliferation on scaffolds were counted by Digimizer© software. Then morphology, porosity and hydrophilicity of scaffolds and cell growth and proliferation on scaffolds were optimized by Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The results show that PCL/G/PDMS electrospun nanofibers can be used for tissue engineering applications. The purpose of this scaffold is design a scaffold for elastic tissue engineering, especially uterine tissue, which will be discussed in the following articles.

In vitro characterization of xeno-free clinically relevant human collagen and its applicability in cell-laden 3D bioprinting.

Collagen type I, commonly derived from xenogenic sources, is extensively used as a biomaterial for tissue engineering applications. However, the use of xenogenic collagen is typically associated with species specific variation in mechanical, structural, and biological properties that are known to influence cellular response and remodeling. In addition, immunological complications and risks of disease transmission are also major concerns. The goal of this study is to characterize a new xeno-free human skin-derived collagen and assess its applicability as a bioink for cell-laden 3 D bioprinting. Four different concentrations of human collagen (i.e., 0.5 mg/mL, 1 mg/mL, 3 mg/mL and 6 mg/mL) were employed for the synthesis of collagen hydrogels. In addition, bovine collagen was used as a xenogenic control. Results from SDS-PAGE analysis showed the presence of α1, α2, and β chains, confirming that the integrity of type I human collagen is maintained post isolation. Polymerization rate and compressive modulus increased significantly with increase in the concentration of human collagen. When comparing two different sources of collagen, the polymerization rate of xenogenic collagen was significantly faster (p < 0.05) than human collagen while the compressive modulus was comparable. Raman spectroscopy showed a large peak in the Amide I band around 1600 cm-1, indicating a dense and supraorganized fibrillar structure in human collagen hydrogels. Conversely, Amide I band intensity for xenogenic collagen was comparable to that of Amide II and Amide III bands. Further, the use of 6 mg/mL human collagen as a bioink yielded 3 D printed constructs with high shape fidelity and cell viability. On the other hand, xenogenic collagen failed to yield stable 3 D printed constructs. Together, the results from this study provides an impetus for using human-derived collagen as a viable alternative to xenogenic sources for 3 D bioprinting of clinically relevant scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.

Fabrication of 3D printed antimicrobial polycaprolactone scaffolds for tissue engineering applications

Synthetic polymers are widely employed for bone tissue engineering due to their tunable physical properties and biocompatibility. Inherently, most of these polymers display poor antimicrobial properties. Infection at the site of implantation is a major cause for failure or delay in bone healing process and the development of antimicrobial polymers is highly desired. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNps) were synthesized in polycaprolactone (PCL) solution by in-situ reduction and further extruded into PCL/AgNps filaments. Customized 3D structures were fabricated using the PCL/AgNps filaments through 3D printing technique. As demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy, the 3D printed scaffolds exhibited interconnected porous structures. Furthermore, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed the reduction of silver ions. Transmission electron microscopy along with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis confirmed the formation of silver nanoparticles throughout the PCL matrix. In vitro enzymatic degradation studies showed that the PCL/AgNps scaffolds displayed 80% degradation in 20 days. The scaffolds were cytocompatible, as assessed using hFOB cells and their antibacterial activity was demonstrated on Escherichia coli. Due to their interconnected porous structure, mechanical and antibacterial properties, these cytocompatible multifunctional 3D printed PCL/AgNps scaffolds appear highly suitable for bone tissue engineering.

Versatile lysine dendrigrafts and polyethylene glycol hydrogels with inherent biological properties: in vitro cell behavior modulation and in vivo biocompatibility.

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels have been extensively used as scaffolds for tissue engineering applications, owing to their biocompatibility, chemical versatility, and tunable mechanical properties. However, their bio-inert properties require them to be associated with additional functional moieties to interact with cells. To circumvent this need, we propose here to reticulate PEG molecules with poly(L-lysine) dendrigrafts (DGL) to provide intrinsic cell functionalities to PEG-based hydrogels. The physico-chemical characteristics of the resulting hydrogels were studied in regard of the concentration of each component. With increasing amounts of DGL, the cross-linking time and swelling ratio could be decreased, conversely to mechanical properties, which could be tailored from 7.7 ± 0.7 to 90 ± 28.8 kPa. Furthermore, fibroblasts adhesion, viability, and morphology on hydrogels were then assessed. While cell adhesion significantly increased with the concentration of DGL, cell viability was dependant of the ratio of DGL and PEG. Cell morphology and proliferation; however, appeared mainly related to the overall hydrogel rigidity. To allow cell infiltration and cell growth in 3D, the hydrogels were rendered porous. The biocompatibility of resulting hydrogels of different compositions and porosities was evaluated by 3 week subcutaneous implantations in mice. Hydrogels allowed an extensive cellular infiltration with a mild foreign body reaction, histological evidence of hydrogel degradation, and neovascularization.

Additive Manufacturing Techniques for Fabrication of Bone Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering Applications

Bone tissue engineering (BTE) as a modern and more effective treatment for bone defects has recently received lots of attention. One of the pivotal parts of BTE is the “scaffold”, which functions as an indwelling carrier of cells and additives, as well as, providing a foundation for cell growth and eventually forming new, native-like bone. Up to now, many methods and materials have been employed to manufacture bone scaffolds. This review focuses on providing both basic knowledge of BTE as well as possible methods of scaffold manufacturing. We categorize the fabrication methods into; current conventional methods and newly emerging additive manufacturing (AM) techniques. The fundamental, capabilities and limitations of each technique is investigated, and the latest achievements are presented.

Synthesis and characterization of electrospun cerium-doped bioactive glass/chitosan/polyethylene oxide composite scaffolds for tissue engineering applications

In this study, a series of electrospun chitosan/polyethylene oxide (PEO) nanofibrous scaffolds containing different amount of cerium-doped bioactive glasses (Ce-BGs) have been fabricated and proposed for tissue engineering applications. On a biological level, higher 8Ce-BG content significantly improved cytocompatibility of the scaffolds. Moreover, results of fibroblast cell culture study showed that greater 8Ce-BG content could enhance cell attachment and cell expansion on fiber mesh. Characterization of the scaffolds revealed that increasing 8Ce-BG content caused bioactive glass nanoparticles to agglomerate at a higher rate. The SEM mapping revealed thorough dispersion of submicrometric clusters in all areas of the polymeric matrix. Contact angle measurements showed that increasing 8Ce-BG/CH ratio from 0 to 10 (wt.%) improved wettability of the scaffold significantly. However, by increasing the ratio beyond 10 (wt.%), the wettability values decreased gradually. In conclusion, it was found that increasing 8Ce-BG/CH weight ratio up to 40 (wt.%) in the scaffold system was practical and useful for soft tissue engineering applications.

3D printing of silk microparticle reinforced polycaprolactone scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.

Polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds have been widely investigated for tissue engineering applications, however, they exhibit poor cell adhesion and mechanical properties. Subsequently, PCL composites have been produced to improve the material properties. This study utilises a natural material, Bombyx mori silk microparticles (SMP) prepared by milling silk fibre, to produce a composite to enhance the scaffolds properties. Silk is biocompatible and biodegradable with excellent mechanical properties. However, there are no studies using SMPs as a reinforcing agent in a 3D printed thermoplastic polymer scaffold. PCL/SMP (10, 20, 30wt%) composites were prepared by melt blending. Rheological analysis showed that SMP loading increased the shear thinning and storage modulus of the material. Scaffolds were fabricated using a screw-assisted extrusion-based additive manufacturing system. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microtomography was used to determine scaffold morphology. The scaffolds had high interconnectivity with regular printed fibres and pore morphologies within the designed parameters. Compressive mechanical testing showed that the addition of SMP significantly improved the compressive Young's modulus of the scaffolds. The scaffolds were more hydrophobic with the inclusion of SMP which was linked to a decrease in total protein adsorption. Cell behaviour was assessed using human adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells. A cytotoxic effect was observed at higher particle loading (30wt%) after 7days of culture. By day 21, 10wt% loading showed significantly higher cell metabolic activity and proliferation, high cell viability, and cell migration throughout the scaffold. Calcium mineral deposition was observed on the scaffolds during cell culture. Large calcium mineral deposits were observed at 30wt% and smaller calcium deposits were observed at 10wt%. This study demonstrates that SMPs incorporated into a PCL scaffold provided effective mechanical reinforcement, improved the rate of degradation, and increased cell proliferation, demonstrating potential suitability for bone tissue engineering applications.