• Development of bioactive 3D-printed composite scaffold incorporated with platelet-rich fibrin for bone tissue engineering.
  • Fatemeh Arabyarmohammadi,1,* Shohreh Mashayekhan,2 Maryam Saadatmand,3 Yasaman Pourseif,4 Peyman Malekmohammadi,5 Mohammadhosein Havaei,6
    1. Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
    2. Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
    3. Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
    4. Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
    5. Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
    6. Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran


  • Introduction: 3D printing with controlled microarchitectures has gained traction in a wide variety of fields, including bone tissue engineering because it represents an exciting alternative for the synthesis of new scaffolds due to its rapid manufacturing process, high precision, cost-effectiveness, and ease of use. Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is obtained by centrifuging the patient's blood without using anticoagulants and is rich in growth factors and cytokines and due to continuous release of growth factors, incorporation of PRF into scaffolds can enhance the differentiation, proliferation, and cells migration. Despite its many beneficial properties, platelet-rich fibrin has poor mechanical strength and is rapidly degraded. The aim of this study is to design and fabricate composite scaffolds based on platelet-rich fibrin with desirable mechanical properties for application in bone tissue engineering.
  • Methods: Freeze -dried PRF with gelatin hydrogels were prepared, and then incorporated into the 3D printed polycaprolactone (PCL)/starch scaffolds to improve its mechanical strength. The effect of gelatin concentration on the scaffold porosity and water uptake was investigated and further the compressive mechanical strength was evaluated.
  • Results: Based on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and swelling tests' results, the sample containing 3% gelatin showed desirable properties in terms of pore size and water uptake ratio and can be suggested as the optimal sample.
  • Conclusion: In conclusion, the reinforced PRF-incorporated gelatin hydrogel with 3D printed PCL/starch strands could be proposed as an appropriate scaffold in bone tissue engineering applications.
  • Keywords: Platelet-rich fibrin; Polycaprolactone; Starch; 3D printed scaffold