title: Silk fibroin porous scaffolds for nucleus pulposus tissue engineering.
abstract: Intervertebral discs (IVDs) are structurally complex tissue that hold the vertebrae together and provide mobility to spine. The nucleus pulposus (NP) degeneration often results in degenerative IVD disease that is one of the most common causes of back and neck pain. Tissue engineered nucleus pulposus offers an alternative approach to regain the function of the degenerative IVD. The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility of porous silk fibroin (SF) scaffolds fabricated by paraffin-sphere-leaching methods with freeze-drying in the application of nucleus pulposus regeneration. The prepared scaffold possessed high porosity of 92.38±5.12% and pore size of 165.00±8.25μm as well as high pore interconnectivity and appropriate mechanical properties. Rabbit NP cells were seeded and cultured on the SF scaffolds. Scanning electron microscopy, histology, biochemical assays and mechanical tests revealed that the porous scaffolds could provide an appropriate microstructure and environment to support adhesion, proliferation and infiltration of NP cells in vitro as well as the generation of extracellular matrix. The NP cell-scaffold construction could be preliminarily formed after subcutaneously implanted in a nude mice model. In conclusion, The SF porous scaffold offers a potential candidate for tissue engineered NP tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin 300211, PR China; Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin 300211, PR China; Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China.
authors.forename: Meifeng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin 300211, PR China; Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China.
authors.forename: Lilong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China.
authors.forename: Jiamin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin 300211, PR China.
authors.forename: Xinlong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin 300211, PR China. Electronic address: xubaoshan99@126.com.
authors.forename: Baoshan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China. Electronic address: wly@nankai.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Lianyong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005349:Fibroins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D010232:Paraffin / Q000737:chemistry; D016062:Porosity; D011817:Rabbits; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
chemical_list: D010232:Paraffin; D005349:Fibroins
keywords: Intervertebral discs (IVD); Nucleus pulposus (NP); Porous scaffold; Silk fibroin; Tissue engineering