title: Fiber-based tissue-engineered scaffold for ligament replacement: design considerations and in vitro evaluation.
abstract: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the major intraarticular ligamentous structure of the knee, which functions as a joint stabilizer. It is the most commonly injured ligament of the knee, with over 150,000 ACL surgeries performed annually in the United States. Due to limitations associated with current grafts for ACL reconstruction, there is a significant demand for alternative graft systems. We report here the development of a biodegradable, tissue-engineered ACL graft. Several design parameters including construct architecture, porosity, degradability, and cell source were examined. This graft system is based on polymeric fibers of polylactide-co-glycolide 10:90, and it was fabricated using a novel, three-dimensional braiding technology. The resultant micro-porous scaffold exhibited optimal pore diameters (175-233 microm) for ligament tissue ingrowth, and initial mechanical properties of the construct approximate those of the native ligament.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Virginia, 400 Ray C. Hunt Drive, Suite 330, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Helen H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Frank K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Joseph W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Cato T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Laurencin
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000818:Animals; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000601:surgery; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004548:Elasticity; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016062:Porosity; D011817:Rabbits; D013499:Surface Properties; D013718:Tensile Strength; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011108:Polymers; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid