Study on Artificial Bone Scaffolds with Control Release of Drugs by Low-Temperature Rapid Prototyping Technology

A kind of PLGA microspheres was prepared with bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the model drug and poly (lactide-co-glycolide) as the matrix. The polylactic acid/hydroxyapatite (PLA/HA) scaffold was manufactured through 3D printing technology. Then the PLGA microspheres were composited in the scaffold. It was also explored about the feasibility of skeletal scaffolds loaded with bone growth factor. The BSA loading PLGA microspheres were prepared by W/O/W method and the scaffolds were prepared by 3D-printing using PLA and HA as raw materials. The composite scaffold was fabricated by adsorbing the microspheres/ethanol suspension into scaffolds under negative pressure. The cell-adhesion ability, hydrophilicity, scaffold morphology, release properties and biocompatibility of the composite scaffold were characterized, respectively. The results show no burst release of BSA from the PLGA microspheres at beginning stage and sustained longer than 35 days. Drug-loading rate of microspheres was 0.64%. PLA/HA scaffold shows enhanced hydrophilicity as well as excellent cell compatibility and cell adhesion property. SEM images show PLGA microspheres were successfully absorbed in PLA/HA scaffold. MTT experiments of the composite scaffold show non cytotoxic and its cell relative proliferation rate is up to 88.37%. These studies show the feasibility of skeletal scaffolds loaded with bone growth factor. Through low-temperature rapid prototyping technology, the long-effective bioactive bone scaffold can be prepared and have a well application prospect.