Evaluation of the Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Delivering BMSCs Into 3D Porous Scaffolds

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), derived from autologous whole blood, is rich in fibrinogen and platelets, which release multiple active factors in response to thrombin. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of PRP in delivering bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) into 3D porous scaffolds in comparison with platelet-poor plasma (PPP) and Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM). The seeding efficacy, proliferation, and differentiation of the BMSCs seeded into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) porous scaffolds via PRP, PPP, and DMEM were tested. Additionally, BMSC/PLGA constructs were implanted in goat calvarial defects to radiologically and histologically detect the capability of PRP for enhancing bone regeneration. The results showed that the BMSC seeding efficacy of PRP was similar as that of PPP, and greater potential for in vitro BMSC proliferation and in vivo bone regeneration than PPP and DMEM. Therefore, PRP can potentially accomplish convenient and effective cell delivery into porous scaffolds, which is valuable in bone tissue engineering.