title: Engineering cartilage tissue interfaces using a natural glycosaminoglycan hydrogel matrix--an in vitro study.
abstract: Hydrogels are suitable matrices for cartilage tissue engineering on account of their resemblance to native extracellular matrix of articular cartilage and also considering its ease of application, they can be delivered to the defect site in a minimally invasive manner. In this study, we evaluate the suitability of a fast gelling natural biopolymer hydrogel matrix for articular cartilage tissue engineering. A hydrogel based on two natural polymers, chitosan and hyaluronic acid derivative was prepared and physicochemically characterized. Chondrocytes were then encapsulated within the hydrogel and cultured over a period of one month. Cartilage regeneration was assessed by histological, biochemical and gene expression studies. Chondrocytes maintained typical round morphology throughout the course of this investigation, indicating preservation of their phenotype with sufficient production of extracellular matrix and expression of typical chondrogenic markers Collagen type 2 and aggrecan. The results suggest that the natural polymer hydrogel matrix can be used as an efficient matrix for articular cartilage tissue engineering.
authors.affiliation: Division of Tissue Engineering and Regeneration Technologies, BMT Wing, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, 695012, India. Electronic address: remyanirmal@rediffmail.com.
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Remya
authors.affiliation: Division of Tissue Engineering and Regeneration Technologies, BMT Wing, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, 695012, India. Electronic address: pdnair49@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Prabha D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Nair
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry*; D011817:Rabbits; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D048271:Chitosan