Developing a scaffold for efficient and functional bone regeneration remains challenging. To accomplish this goal, a "scaffold-on-a-chip" device was developed as a platform to aid with the evaluation process. The device mimics a microenvironment experienced by a transplanted bone scaffold. The device contains a circular space at the center for scaffold insert and microfluidic channel that encloses the space. Such a design allows for monitoring of cell behavior at the blood-scaffold interphase. MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured with three different types of scaffold inserts to test its capability as an evaluation platform. Cellular behaviors, including migration, morphology, and osteogenesis with each scaffold, were analyzed through fluorescence images of live/dead assay and immunocytochemistry. Cellular behaviors, such as migration, morphology, and osteogenesis, were evaluated. The results revealed that our platform could effectively evaluate the osteoconductivity and osteoinductivity of scaffolds with various properties. In conclusion, our proposed platform is expected to replace current in vivo animal models as a highly relevant in vitro platform and can contribute to the fundamental study of bone regeneration.
Keywords: 3D printing; organ-on-a-chip; osteoconduction; osteoinduction; scaffold; tissue engineering.