Biomimetic tissue-engineered anterior cruciate ligament replacement.
There are >200,000 anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures each year in the United States, and, due to the poor healing properties of the ACL, surgical reconstruction with autograft or allograft tissue is the current treatment of these injuries. To regenerate the ACL, the ideal matrix should be biodegradable, porous, and exhibit sufficient mechanical strength to allow formation of neoligament tissue. Researchers have developed ACL scaffolds with collagen fibers, silk, biodegradable polymers, and composites with limited success. Our group has developed a biomimetic ligament replacement by using 3D braiding technology. In this preliminary in vivo rabbit model study for ACL reconstruction, the histological and mechanical evaluation demonstrated excellent healing and regeneration with our cell-seeded, tissue-engineered ligament replacement.
Cooper
James A
JA
School of Biomedical, Engineering, Science, and Health Systems and Center for Advanced Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, 3141 Chestnut Street, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Sahota
Janmeet S
JS
Gorum
W Jay
WJ
Carter
Janell
J
Doty
Stephen B
SB
Laurencin
Cato T
CT
D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000818:Animals; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000502:physiology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D019344:Lactic Acid; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D011817:Rabbits; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013997:Time Factors; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide)