title: Functional properties of cell-seeded three-dimensionally woven poly(epsilon-caprolactone) scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering.
abstract: Articular cartilage possesses complex mechanical properties that provide healthy joints the ability to bear repeated loads and maintain smooth articulating surfaces over an entire lifetime. In this study, we utilized a fiber-reinforced composite scaffold designed to mimic the anisotropic, nonlinear, and viscoelastic biomechanical characteristics of native cartilage as the basis for developing functional tissue-engineered constructs. Three-dimensionally woven poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds were encapsulated with a fibrin hydrogel, seeded with human adipose-derived stem cells, and cultured for 28 days in chondrogenic culture conditions. Biomechanical testing showed that PCL-based constructs exhibited baseline compressive and shear properties similar to those of native cartilage and maintained these properties throughout the culture period, while supporting the synthesis of a collagen-rich extracellular matrix. Further, constructs displayed an equilibrium coefficient of friction similar to that of native articular cartilage (mu(eq) approximately 0.1-0.3) over the prescribed culture period. Our findings show that three-dimensionally woven PCL-fibrin composite scaffolds can be produced with cartilage-like mechanical properties, and that these engineered properties can be maintained in culture while seeded stem cells regenerate a new, functional tissue construct.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center , Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Franklin T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Moutos
authors.forename: Farshid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guilak
mesh_terms: D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology / Q000637:transplantation; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology / Q000637:transplantation; D020219:Chondrogenesis; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D019245:Compressive Strength; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D005337:Fibrin; D017276:Friction; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry; D012038:Regeneration; D033081:Shear Strength; D013718:Tensile Strength; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020100:Hydrogels; D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone; D005337:Fibrin; D003094:Collagen