Three-dimensional printed tissue engineered bone for canine mandibular defects

BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional (3D) printed tissue engineered bone was used to repair the bone tissue defects in the oral and maxillofacial (OMF) region of experimental dogs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Canine bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were obtained from 9 male Beagle dogs and in vitro cultured for osteogenic differentiation. The OMF region was scanned for 3D printed surgical guide plate and mold by ProJet1200 high-precision printer using implant materials followed sintering at 1250 °C. The tissue engineered bones was co-cultured with BASCs for 2 or 8 d. The cell scaffold composite was placed in the defects and fixed in 9 dogs in 3 groups. Postoperative CT and/or micro-CT scans were performed to observe the osteogenesis and material degradation. RESULTS: BMSCs were cultured with osteogenic differentiation in the second generation (P2). The nanoporous hydroxyapatite implant was made using the 3D printing mold with the white porous structure and the hard texture. BMSCs with osteogenic induction were densely covered with the surface of the material after co-culture and ECM was secreted to form calcium-like crystal nodules. The effect of the tissue engineered bone on the in vivo osteogenesis ability was no significant difference between 2 d and 8 d of the compositing time. CONCLUSIONS: The tissue-engineered bone was constructed by 3D printing mold and high-temperature sintering to produce nanoporous hydroxyapatite scaffolds, which repair in situ bone defects in experimental dogs. The time of compositing for tissue engineered bone was reduced from 8 d to 2 d without the in vivo effect.