<scp>3D</scp> ‐Printed <scp>PLA</scp> :β‐ <scp>TCP</scp> Scaffolds: Fabrication and Evaluation for Bone Regeneration in Load‐Bearing Defects

ABSTRACT Orthopedic bone defects at load‐bearing anatomical sites pose a significant challenge for clinicians. In this study, polylactic acid (PLA) with different β‐tricalcium phosphate (β‐TCP) contents (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 60%) was used to prepare PLA:β‐TCP composites. The PLA:β‐TCP composite scaffolds were fabricated using solvent casting and FDM printing technology. The scaffolds were characterized, and the biological activity of the scaffold with the optimal compressive strength was evaluated. The biocompatibility was assessed through MTT assays; then, the osteogenic differentiation capacity of the scaffolds on human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM‐MSCs) was evaluated using alkaline phosphatase (ALP) detection. The compressive strength of PLA:β‐TCP scaffolds exhibits a trend of initial increase followed by a decrease with an increasing amount of β‐TCP, reaching a maximum value of 28.21 MPa at a 20% β‐TCP content. Results suggest that the prepared PLA:β‐TCP scaffolds demonstrate excellent biocompatibility, and the prepared PLA:β‐TCP scaffold exhibits a significant ability to enhance the osteogenic differentiation of hBM‐MSCs in vitro. Printed PLA:β‐TCP scaffolds could improve bioactivity and lead to better osteogenesis, which may provide a unique approach for developing bioactive implants in orthopedic applications of load‐bearing bone defects.