title: Fabrication and characterization of poly(gamma-glutamic acid)-graft-chondroitin sulfate/polycaprolactone porous scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering.
abstract: The development of blended biomacromolecule and polyester scaffolds can potentially be used in many tissue engineering applications. This study was to develop a poly(gamma-glutamic acid)-graft-chondroitin sulfate-blend-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (gamma-PGA-g-CS/PCL) composite biomaterial as a scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering. Chondroitin sulfate (CS) was grafted to gamma-PGA, forming a gamma-PGA-g-CS copolymer with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl-aminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) system. The gamma-PGA-g-CS copolymers were then blended with PCL to yield a porous gamma-PGA-g-CS/PCL scaffold by salt leaching. These blended scaffolds were characterized by (1)H NMR, ESCA, water-binding capacity, mechanical test, degradation rate and CS assay. The results showed that with gamma-PGA-g-CS as a component, the water-binding capacity and the degradation rate of the scaffolds would substantially increase. During a 4 week period of culture, the mechanical stability of gamma-PGA-g-CS/PCL scaffolds was raised gradually and chondrocytes were induced to function normally in vitro. Furthermore, a larger amount of secreted GAGs was present in the gamma-PGA-g-CS/PCL matrices than in the control (PCL), as revealed by Alcian blue staining of the histochemical sections. Thus, gamma-PGA-g-CS/PCL matrices exhibit excellent biodegradation and biocompatibility for chondrocytes and have potential in tissue engineering as temporary substitutes for articular cartilage regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin Chu, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Kuo-Yung
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Li-Wei
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Guan-Huei
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Yun-Peng
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yu-Der
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000254:growth & development*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D020219:Chondrogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000737:chemistry*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D008422:Materials Testing; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D011099:Polyglutamic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D016062:Porosity; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011091:Polyesters; C511775:poly(gamma-glutamic acid); C016240:polycaprolactone; D011099:Polyglutamic Acid; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates