3D-printed gelatin methacrylate (GelMA)/silanated silica scaffold assisted by two-stage cooling system for hard tissue regeneration

Among many biomaterials, gelatin methacrylate (GelMA), a photocurable protein, has been widely used in 3D bioprinting process owing to its excellent cellular responses, biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, GelMA still shows a low processability due to the severe temperature dependence of viscosity. To overcome this obstacle, we propose a two-stage temperature control system to effectively control the viscosity of GelMA. To optimize the process conditions, we evaluated the temperature of the cooling system (jacket and stage). Using the established system, three GelMA scaffolds were fabricated in which different concentrations (0, 3 and 10 wt%) of silanated silica particles were embedded. To evaluate the performances of the prepared scaffolds suitable for hard tissue regeneration, we analyzed the physical (viscoelasticity, surface roughness, compressive modulus and wettability) and biological (human mesenchymal stem cells growth, western blotting and osteogenic differentiation) properties. Consequently, the composite scaffold with greater silica contents (10 wt%) showed enhanced physical and biological performances including mechanical strength, cell initial attachment, cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation compared with those of the controls. Our results indicate that the GelMA/silanated silica composite scaffold can be potentially used for hard tissue regeneration.