Zahra Gorgin Karaji

Three-dimensional biocompatible porous structures can be fabricated using different methods. However, biological and mechanical behaviors of scaffolds are the center of focus in bone tissue engineering. In this study, tricalcium phosphate scaffolds with similar porosity contents, but different pore morphologies were fabricated using two different techniques, namely replica method and pore-forming agent method. The samples fabricated using the pore-forming agent showed more than two times higher compressive and bending strength, and more than three times higher compressive modulus. Furthermore, a thin layer of agarose coating, improved the compressive and bending strength of both types of the ceramic scaffolds. Subsequently, the samples’ capability to guide biomineralization was evaluated by immersion into a simulated body fluid which developed Ca-P nano-platelets formation and enhanced the compressive strength. Finally, the MTT assay was used to evaluate L929 cells viability and proliferation on all the samples and it confirmed that cell behavior was not affected by pore morphology or agarose coating. In summary, samples produced by the use of the pore-forming agent showed higher potential to be applied as bone scaffolds in tissue engineering applications.