Porous polyetheretherketone microcarriers fabricated via hydroxylation together with cell-derived mineralized extracellular matrix coatings promote cell expansion and bone regeneration

Porous microcarriers have aroused increasing attention recently by facilitating oxygen and nutrient transfer, supporting cell attachment and growth with sufficient cell seeding density. In this study, porous polyetheretherketone (PEEK) microcarriers coated with mineralized extracellular matrix (mECM), known for their chemical, mechanical and biological superiority, were developed for orthopedic applications. Porous PEEK microcarriers were derived from smooth microcarriers using a simple wet-chemistry strategy involving the reduction of carbonyl groups. This treatment simultaneously modified surface topology and chemical composition. Furthermore, the microstructure, protein absorption, cytotoxicity and bioactivity of the obtained porous microcarriers were investigated. The deposition of mECM through repeated recellularization and decellularization on the surface of porous MCs further promoted cell proliferation and osteogenic activity. Additionally, the mECM coated porous microcarriers exhibited excellent bone regeneration in a rat calvarial defect repair model in vivo, suggesting huge potential applications in bone tissue engineering.