Promoted Bone Regeneration by 3D-Printed Porous Scaffolds with the Synergy of a Nanotopological Morphology and Amino Modification

Three-dimensional (3D)-printed scaffolds have great advantages for bone repair, and the combination of physical and chemical modifications of the surface can improve deficient biological properties to promote bone regeneration. In this study, a nanotopological morphology and an amino group were introduced into scaffold surfaces in sequence by alkaline solution and amination, respectively. The surface properties and the ability for osteogenic induction were investigated. The nanotopological morphology of the surface slightly enhanced the hydrophilic property of the material, while amination obviously increased the hydrophilicity of the surface. The aminated surface improved cell adhesion and proliferation, while the nanotopological morphology was able to facilitate the spread of stem cells, pseudopod extension, and osteogenic differentiation by changing the cell skeleton. The study confirmed that a nanotopological morphology and an amino group can play synergistic roles in improving the osteogenic efficiency and hydrophilicity, which was also confirmed in vivo by showing that effective surface modification of polylactic acid scaffolds enhanced high-quality bone formation, thus demonstrating great potential for clinical applications. The results indicate that scaffolds with the synergy of a nanotopological morphology and amino modification improve the osteogenic induction ability of scaffolds.