Gelatin-chondroitin-hyaluronan tri-copolymer scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering.
The mechanism by which the cell synthesizes and secretes extracellular matrix (ECM) and is, in turn, regulated by the ECM is termed dynamic reciprocity. The aim of the present work was to produce a gelatin/chondoitin-6-sulfate/hyaluronan tri-copolymer to mimic natural cartilage matrix for use as a scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering. The scaffold produced had a uniform pore size of about 180 microm and adequate porosity of 75%. Porcine chondrocytes were seeded onto the tri-copolymer scaffold and cultured in Petri dishes or spinner flasks for 2, 3, 4, or 5 weeks. Chondrocytes were uniformly distributed in the scaffold in the spinner flask cultures, but less so in the Petri dish cultures. Secretion of ECM was found under histology examination. In spinner flask cultures, chondrocytes retained their phenotype for at least 5 weeks, as shown immunohistochemically, and synthesized type II collagen. These results show that gelatin/chondroitin sulfate/hyaluronan tri-copolymer has potential for use as a cartilage tissue engineering scaffold.
Chang
Chih-Hung
CH
Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University, 7 Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan, ROC.
Liu
Hwa-Chang
HC
Lin
Chien-Cheng
CC
Chou
Cheng-Hung
CH
Lin
Feng-Huei
FH
D000818:Animals; D002449:Cell Aggregation / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D048429:Cell Size / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002807:Chondroitin; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005780:Gelatin; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011108:Polymers; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
D024043:Collagen Type II; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011108:Polymers; D009418:S100 Proteins; D005780:Gelatin; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D002807:Chondroitin