Mechanical and Biological Evaluation of Melt-Electrowritten Polycaprolactone Scaffolds for Acetabular Labrum Restoration

Repair or reconstruction of a degenerated or injured acetabular labrum is essential to the stability and health of the hip joint. Current methods for restoration fail to reproduce the structure and mechanical properties of the labrum. In this study, we characterized the structure and tensile mechanical properties of melt-electrowritten polycaprolactone scaffolds of varying architectures and assessed the labrum cell compatibility of selected graft candidates. Cell compatibility was assessed using immunofluorescence of the actin skeleton. First, labrum explants were co-cultured with scaffold specimen to investigate the scaffold compatibility with primary cells. Second, effects of pore size on pre-cultured seeded labrum cells were studied. Third, cell compatibility under dynamic stretching was examined. Grid-like structures showed favorable tensile properties with decreasing fibre spacing. Young's moduli ranging from 2.33 ± 0.34 to 13.36 ± 2.59 MPa were measured across all structures. Primary labrum cells were able to migrate from co-cultured labrum tissue specimens into the scaffold and grow in vitro. Incorporation of small-diameter-fibre and interfibre spacing improved cell distribution and cell spreading, whereas mechanical properties were only marginally affected. Wave-patterned constructs reproduced the non-linear elastic behaviour of native labrum tissue and, therefore, allowed for physiological cyclic tensile strain but showed decreased cell compatibility under dynamic loading. In conclusion, melt-electrowritten polycaprolactone scaffolds are promising candidates for labral grafts; however, further development is required to improve both the mechanical and biological compatibility.