Macro-alignment responses of preosteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells on DCPD-coated β-TCP porous scaffolds: Effect of liquid volume/mass ratio and granular sizes

Extensive assessment of bone-like cell responses towards porous β-tricalcium phosphate scaffolds has shown promising osteoconductivity and biocompatibility. However, the activity of bone-like cells is inhibited due to the formation of dense granule structures and the high formation of dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) between dense granules during the setting reaction of macroporous α-TCP or β-TCP granule cement. Hence, this study was carried out to investigate the macro-alignment responses of preosteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells on DCPD-coated β-TCP porous scaffolds by evaluating the effect of acidic volume-to-granular mass ratios (AV/GR) and β-TCP granule sizes (GS) on the scaffolds via a setting reaction. The fabricated porous scaffolds were first characterised using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR), porosity, and compressive strength. Then, in vitro tests using preosteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells were performed to determine the macro-alignment of cell responses towards scaffolds. The results imply that the GS and pore size formation inside the DCPD-coated β-TCP porous scaffolds affected the macro-alignment of preosteoblast MC3T3-E1 surrounding the surface of the fabricated porous scaffold specimens. It was expected that the findings in this study will be a game changer that expedites cell responses in coating-on-ceramic technology.