A 3D-Printed Assemblable Bespoke Scaffold as Versatile Microcryogel Carrier for Site-Specific Regenerative Medicine.

Through the advent of additive manufacturing techniques, various approaches have been developed to fabricate patient-specific implant designs based on computed tomography (CT) images of the patient. However, this requires intensive work and can bring significant financial burden to the healthcare system. Here, we used a digital light processing to fabricate an hive-structured assemblable bespoke scaffold(HIVE). HIVE can be manually assembled in any shape/size with ease, so a surgeon can create a scaffold that would best fit a defect before implantation. Simultaneously, it can have site-specific treatments by working as a carrier filled with microcryogels(MC) incorporating different biological factors in different pockets of HIVE. After characterization, we investigated possible site-specific applications by utilizing HIVE as a versatile carrier with incorporated treatments such as growth factors(GF), bioceramic or cells. HIVE as a GF-carrier showed a controlled release of BMP-2/VEGF and induced osteogenesis/angiogenesis from human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) / human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Furthermore, as a bioceramic-carrier, HIVE demonstrated enhanced mineralization and osteogenesis, and as a HUVEC-carrier, it upregulated both osteogenic and angiogenic gene expression of hMSCs. A HIVE with different combinations of MCs yielded a distinct local effect and we confirmed successful cell migration within assembled HIVE scaffolds. Finally, an in vivo rat subcutaneous implantation study demonstrated site-specific osteogenesis and angiogenesis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.