Fabrication and Characterization of Ta–GelMA–BG Scaffolds by Chemical Crosslinking Processing for Promotion Osteointegration

The repair of bone defects in load-bearing positions still faces great challenges. Tantalum (Ta) has attempted to repair bone defects based on the excellent mechanical properties. However, the osseointegration of Ta needs to be improved due to the lack of osteoinduction. Herein, tantalum–gelatin–methacryloyl–bioactive glass (Ta–GelMA–BG) scaffolds were successfully fabricated by loading BG in 3D-printed Ta scaffolds through a chemical crosslinking method. The results showed that the composite scaffolds have the ability to promote cell adhesion and proliferation. The incorporation of BG resulted in a significant increase in apatite-forming and osteogenesis differentiation abilities. In vivo results indicated that the Ta–GelMA–BG scaffolds significantly enhanced the osteointegration at the early stage after implantation. Overall, the Ta–GelMA–BG scaffolds are a promising platform for the load bearing bone regeneration field.