骨组织工程支架3D打印系统的建立与支架宏微结构精度的可控性评价

Establishment of a 3D printing system for bone tissue engineering scaffold fabrication and the evaluation of its controllability over macro and micro structure precision

目的:自主研发一种基于熔融沉积成形原理的骨组织工程支架3D打印系统,定量评价其打印聚乳酸(polylactide,PLA)、聚己内酯(polycaprolactone,PCL)制件的宏观和微观结构精度可控性。方法:系统硬件部分为基于三轴步进电机控制的单喷头熔融挤出材料的混元-Ⅰ型生物打印机,喷头直径为0. 3 mm,配套打印分层软件生成打印控制代码为Gcode格式文件。用Imageware设计长×宽×高为10 mm×10 mm×2 mm的长方体,保存成STL文件。将文件导入配套打印分层软件并设定长方体内部为均匀分布的长方体孔隙结构,打印层厚0. 2 mm,生成Gcode代码并用混元-Ⅰ型生物打印机分别打印PLA和PCL制件,每种材料重复打印10次。打印完成并充分自然冷却后取下,获得PLA、PCL打印制件(10个×2组)。用游标卡尺测量每个制件的宏观尺寸,每组任意选取3个制件用激光三维形貌测量显微镜扫描并测量每个制件层间重叠和无层间重叠区域的孔隙尺寸与实体支撑梁的直径。结果:所建立系统打印的PLA、PCL制件孔隙规则且相互贯通,宏观尺寸分别为PLA:长9. 950(0. 020) mm,宽9. 950(0. 003) mm,高1. 970(0. 023) mm; PCL:长9. 845(0. 025) mm,宽9. 845(0. 045) mm,高1. 950(0. 043) mm。内部结构PLA、PCL层间重叠部分支撑梁直径稍有增粗,前者较明显。各测量值中PLA层间重叠区域孔隙(274. 09±8. 35)μm与设计值差值最大,为26. 91μm。结论:应用自主研发的组织工程支架3D打印系统可完成PLA、PCL多孔支架的打印,该系统对宏观、微观结构的可控性满足研究应用需求。

Objective: To establish a 3D printing system for bone tissue engineering scaffold fabrication based on the principle of fused deposition modeling, and to evaluate the controllability over macro and micro structure precision of polylactide (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL)scaffolds. Methods: The system was composed of the elements mixture-Ⅰ bioprinter and its supporting slicing software which generated printing control code in the G code file format. With a diameter of 0.3 mm, the nozzle of the bioprinter was controlled by a triaxial stepper motor and extruded melting material. In this study, a 10 mm×10 mm×2 mm cuboid CAD model was designed in the image ware software and saved as STL file. The file was imported into the slicing software and the internal structure was designed in a pattern of cuboid pore uniform distribution, with a layer thickness of 0.2 mm. Then the data were exported as Gcode file and ready for printing. Both polylactic acid (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) filaments were used to print the cuboid parts and each material was printed 10 times repeatedly. After natural cooling, the PLA and PCL scaffolds were removed fromthe platform and the macro dimensions of each one were measured using a vernier caliper. Three scaffolds of each material were randomly selected and scanned by a 3D measurement laser microscope. Measurements of thediameter of struts and the size of pores both in the interlayer overlapping area and non-interlayer overlapping area were taken. Results: The pores in the printed PLA and PCL scaffolds were regular and interconnected. The printed PLA scaffolds were 9.950 (0.020) mm long, 9.950 (0.003) mm wide and 1.970 (0.023) mm high, while the PCL scaffolds were 9.845 (0.025) mm long, 9.845 (0.045) mm wide and 1.950 (0.043) mm high. The struts of both the PLA and PCL parts became wider inthe interlayer overlapping area, and the former was more obvious. The difference between the designed size and the printed size was greatest in the pore size of the PLA scaffolds in interlayer overlapping area [(274.09 ± 8.35)μm)], which was 26.91 μm. However, it satisfied the requirements for research application. Conclusion: The self-established 3D printing system for bone tissue engineering scaffold can be used to print PLA and PCL porous scaffolds. The controllability of this system over macro and micro structure can meet the precision requirements for research application.