Effect of Silica nanoparticles (Laponite) on 3D printed Gelatin Methacryloyl Cell-based Scaffolds

Surgical resection of bone is largely due to trauma and tumors, resulting in a critical size defect (CSD). Treatment of CSDs involves the use of synthetic or biological grafts to foster tissue growth and bone regeneration. Modern advancements in tissue engineering allow for the rapid creation of such biocompatible scaffolds to assist in bone regeneration. Gelatin methacryloyl (after dialysis) is biocompatible and fosters cell proliferation but it is printable using a 3D printer due to excessive water content. Here, we investigated a novel composite biomaterial comprising of Gelatin Methacryloyl (GelMA), Laponite (LP), and tween 80 for its 3D printing capability with cells and biomechanical characteristics. These cell-laden composite scaffolds demonstrated the ability to degrade slowly across 14 days and were able to retain large amounts of fluid within 24 hours. Cell proliferation was significantly improved 14 days with the presence LP in the GelMA scaffolds.