title: Adhesion of perichondrial cells to a polylactic acid scaffold.
abstract: The number of chondrogenic cells available locally is an important factor in the repair process for cartilage defects. Previous studies demonstrated that the number of transplanted rabbit perichondrial cells (PC) remaining in a cartilage defect in vivo, after being carried into the site in a polylactic acid (PLA) scaffold, declined markedly within two days. This study examined the ability of in vitro culture of PC/PLA constructs to enhance subsequent biomechanical stability of the cells and the matrix content in an in vitro screening assay. PC/PLA constructs were analyzed after 1 h, 1 and 2 weeks of culture. The biomechanical adherence of PC to the PLA scaffold was tested by subjecting the PC/PLA constructs to a range of flow velocities (0.25-25 mm/s), spanning the range estimated to occur under conditions of construct insertion in vivo. The adhesion of PC to the PLA carrier was increased significantly by 1 and 2 weeks of incubation, with 25 mm/s flow causing a 57% detachment of cells after 1 h of seeding, but only 7% and 16% after 1 and 2 weeks of culture, respectively (p<0.001). This adherence was associated with marked deposition of glycosaminoglycan and collagen. These findings suggest that pre-incubation of PC-laden PLA scaffolds markedly enhances the stability of the indwelling cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering and Whitaker Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0412, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giurea
authors.forename: Travis J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Albert C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Randal S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Goomer
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Coutts
authors.forename: Wayne H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Akeson
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amiel
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Sah
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002356:Cartilage / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008297:Male; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010477:Perfusion; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D011817:Rabbits; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide); D003094:Collagen