In-vitro Evaluation of SLIT3 Protein Bioactivity in Bone regeneration Scaffold

In natural bone healing, SLIT3 protein plays a critical role in cell-cell interactions as it induces the formation of H-type vessels, promotes osteoblast proliferation and migration, and suppresses bone resorption by inhibiting osteoclast differentiation. Herein, we are extending our previous study of the produced hierarchically porous and SLIT3 releasing scaffold to include intensive, precisely-designed and specific in-vitro testing. Due to the novel involvement of SLIT3 protein within bone scaffold, the intermolecular interaction between scaffold microstructure, SLIT3 protein, and the seeded bone-marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells is ambiguous. A targeted and comprehensive in-vitro assessment is crucial to fully characterize protein-scaffold interactions, scaffold's structural properties and bioactivity. Preliminary findings revealed that green dye labeled MSCs were adhering to the scaffold surface and increasing their population with sustained viability. Also, a difference in cell morphology was observed between scaffold with SLIT3 protein compared to control scaffold which could be related to variation in differentiation behavior. Next experiments will focus on acquiring quantitative data to validate the effectiveness of SLIT3 in promoting bone formation.