z Materials Science inc. Nanomaterials & Polymers
3D Printing of Gelatine/Alginate/β-Tricalcium Phosphate
Composite Constructs for Bone Tissue Engineering
Cevriye Kalkandelen,*
[a]
Songul Ulag,
[b]
Burak Ozbek,
[b]
Gunes O. Eroglu,
[c]
Dilsad Ozerkan,
[d]
Serap E. Kuruca,
[e]
Faik N. Oktar,
[b, f]
Mustafa Sengor,
[g]
and Oguzhan Gunduz
[b, h]
Bone tissue engineering studies have brought three-dimen-
sional scaffolds into focus that can provide tissue regeneration
with designed porosity and strengthened structure. Current
research has concentrated on the fabrication of natural and
synthetic polymer-based complex structures that closely mimic
biological tissues due to their superior biocompatibility and
biodegradabilities. Gelatine/Sodium Alginate hydrogels rein-
forced with different concentrations of β-Tricalcium Phosphate
(TCP) (10, 13, and 15 wt.%) were studied to form 3D bone
tissue. Physical, mechanical, chemical, morphological properties
and biodegradability of the constructs were investigated.
Furthermore, invitro biological assay with human osteosarco-
ma cell line (SAOS-2) was performed to determine the
biocompatibility of the constructs. It is found that cell viability
rates for all constructs were increased and maximum cell
viability rate was attained for 20%Gelatine/2%Alginate/10%TCP
(wt.). The present work demonstrates that 3D printed Gelatine/
Alginate/TCP constructs with porous structures are potential
candidates for bone tissue engineering applications.
Introduction
It is crucial to know bone structures and properties that can
promote bone regeneration to fabricate bone tissues.
[1]
Bone
defects which can be provoked by several pathological
conditions (e.g., bone tumors, infections, major trauma with a
bone stock loss) or by surgical procedures, have been treated
with bone grafts. However, some limitations affect the active
treatments, and bone grafts are insufficient to satisfy the
clinical demand. Therefore, bone tissue engineering becomes a
crucial area to regenerate bone by fabricating bioactive and
biocompatible scaffolds which should be osteoconductive and
osteoinductive to provide bone growth and create native
invivo environment.
[1,2]
The most commonly used materials are;
hydroxyapatite, tricalcium phosphate, (or phosphate com-
pounds), collagen-structured hydrogels.
[1–4]
TCP is known as
bone ash [Ca
3
(PO
4
)
2
], which is highly biocompatible and
provides a resorbable substrate connection to promote
healing.
[2,5]
Calcium phosphate is one of the main combustion
products of bone. It can be used as a tissue replacement for
repairing bony defects when an autogenous bone graft is not
feasible or possible.
[6,7]
It may be used alone or in combination
with a biodegradable, resorbable polymer.
[8]
It may also be
combined with autologous materials for a bone graft.
[9]
Gelatine (Gel) is a denaturized version of collagen, which is
abundant inside the bone tissue, water-soluble protein, and
mechanical properties are very sensitive to temperature
variations. It has excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability,
and no immunogenicity in clinical applications.
[3]
Sodium
alginate (NaC
6
H
7
O
6
) is a linear polysaccharide derivative of
alginic acid comprised of 1,4-β-d-mannuronic (M) and α-l-
guluronic (G) acids. Sodium alginate is a cell wall component of
marine brown algae and contains approximately 30–60%
alginic acid. Conversion of alginic acid to sodium alginate
promotes its solubility in water, which assists its extraction.
[10]
Alg has been extensively used for biomedical applications
owing to its biocompatibility and cost-effectiveness.
Nguyen et al. fabricated oxidized alginate-gelatine-BCP
hydrogels and evaluated material properties, microstructure,
and biocompatibility for bone tissue regeneration. Water
[a] Dr.C.Kalkandelen
Vocational School of Technical Sciences, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa,
Hadimkoy Campus, Center for Nanotechnology & Biomaterials Applica-
tion and Research, Marmara University, Goztepe Campus, 34722 Istanbul,
Turkey
E-mail: cevriye.kalkandelen@gmail.com
[b] S. Ulag, B. Ozbek, Prof. F. N. Oktar, O. Gunduz
Center for Nanotechnology & Biomaterials Application and Research,
Marmara University, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineer-
ing, Marmara University, Goztepe Campus, 34722 Istanbul, Turkey
[c] G.O.Eroglu
Department of Molecular Medicine, Istanbul University, Turkey Capa
Campus, 34093 Istanbul, Turkey
[d] D. Ozerkan
Faculty of Engineering & Architecture, Kastamonu University, Turkey
Kastamonu Campus, 37150 Kastamonu, Turkey
[e] Prof. S. E. Kuruca
Istanbul Faculty of Physiology, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey Capa
Campus, 34093 Istanbul, Turkey
[f] Prof.F.N.Oktar
Center for Nanotechnology & Biomaterials Application and Research
(NBUAM), Marmara University, Department of Bioengineering, Goztepe
Campus, 34722 Istanbul, Turkey
[g] Prof. M. Sengor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Bogazici
University, North Campus, 34722 Istanbul, Turkey
[h] O. Gunduz
Center for Nanotechnology & Biomaterials Application and Research
(NBUAM), Marmara University, Department of Metallurgical and Materials
Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Goztepe Campus, Marmara Univer-
sity, 34722 Istanbul, Turkey
Supporting information for this article is available on the WWW under
https://doi.org/10.1002/slct.201902878
Full Papers DOI: 10.1002/slct.201902878
12032 ChemistrySelect 2019, 4,12032–12036 © 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim