AccScience Publishing / IJB / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/IJB025330333
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Early Access

Personalized 3D-printed TDM/ZrO₂ scaffolds laden with iPSC-derived SOX9⁺ scleratomal progenitors for functional osteochondral regeneration

Yuqing Dong1,2 Zhijun Zhang3 Fengxiao Zhao1 Weihua Guo1,4* Jingfei Xiong5 Zhonghan Li5 Yuming Zhao2*
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1 State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Department of Pediatric, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
2 Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology & National Center of Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing, 100081, China
3 School of Clinical Medical, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
4 Yunnan Key Laboratory of Stomatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology,School of Stomatology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
5 Center of Growth Metabolism and Aging, Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
Received: 13 August 2025 | Accepted: 15 October 2025 | Published online: 23 October 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

Osteochondral defects resulting from trauma or degenerative diseases are challenging to treat owing to the complex hierarchical structure and limited self-healing capacity of articular cartilage. Recent advancements have identified SOX9-positive sclerotomal progenitors (scl-progenitors), derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), as a promising cell source capable of recapitulating endochondral ossification and promoting osteochondral regeneration. A personalized 3D bioprinted scaffold was developed using treated dentin matrix (TDM)—a decellularized matrix rich in low-crystallinity hydroxyapatite, type I collagen, and osteoinductive factors—as the core bioactive material. To enhance mechanical strength and printability, TDM was combined with methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) and zirconia nanoparticles (ZrO₂). SOX9+ scl-progenitors were encapsulated within the hydrogel matrix and printed using extrusion-based 3D bioprinting to fabricate cell-laden scaffolds with tunable biomechanical and biological properties. The engineered constructs supported robust cell viability, proliferation, and differentiation toward osteochondral lineages in vitro. In vivo implantation in a Nude-Rat knee osteochondral defect model demonstrated excellent biocompatibility and significant regeneration of both cartilage and subchondral bone tissue. This study presents a translatable and customizable platform integrating stem cell technology, natural biomaterials, and 3D bioprinting for osteochondral tissue engineering. The bioengineered construct offers substantial advantages for personalized osteochondral defect repair compared to conventional approaches.

Keywords
SOX9+ scl-progenitors
3D Bioprinting
Treated dentin matrix
Osteochondral regeneration
Tissue engineering
Funding
This work was supported by grants from National Nature Science Foundation of China (82270958), the Major Science and Technology Projects in Yunnan Province(202302AA310038) and West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University Interdisciplinary innovation projects with R&D projects (RD-03-202106).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.
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International Journal of Bioprinting, Electronic ISSN: 2424-8002 Print ISSN: 2424-7723, Published by AccScience Publishing