title: Polyester type polyHIPE scaffolds with an interconnected porous structure for cartilage regeneration.
abstract: Development of artificial materials for the facilitation of cartilage regeneration remains an important challenge in orthopedic practice. Our study investigates the potential for neocartilage formation within a synthetic polyester scaffold based on the polymerization of high internal phase emulsions. The fabrication of polyHIPE polymer (PHP) was specifically tailored to produce a highly porous (85%) structure with the primary pore size in the range of 50-170 μm for cartilage tissue engineering. The resulting PHP scaffold was proven biocompatible with human articular chondrocytes and viable cells were observed within the materials as evaluated using the Live/Dead assay and histological analysis. Chondrocytes with round nuclei were organized into multicellular layers on the PHP surface and were observed to grow approximately 300 μm into the scaffold interior. The accumulation of collagen type 2 was detected using immunohistochemistry and chondrogenic specific genes were expressed with favorable collagen type 2 to 1 ratio. In addition, PHP samples are biodegradable and their baseline mechanical properties are similar to those of native cartilage, which enhance chondrocyte cell growth and proliferation.
authors.affiliation: University Clinical Centre Maribor, Department of Orthopaedics, Ljubljanska ulica 5, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Naranda
authors.affiliation: University of Maribor, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, PolyOrgLab, Smetanova 17, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia.|Polymer Technology College, Ozare 19, SI-2380 Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sušec
authors.affiliation: University of Maribor, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Taborska ulica 8, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Uroš
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Maver
authors.affiliation: University of Maribor, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Taborska ulica 8, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Lidija
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gradišnik
authors.affiliation: University of Maribor, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Taborska ulica 8, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gorenjak
authors.affiliation: University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Department for Histology and Embryology, Salata 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Andreja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vukasović
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Hospital Sveti Duh, Sveti Duh 64, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ivković
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Vienna, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Schwarzspanierstrasse 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Marjan Slak
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rupnik
authors.affiliation: University Clinical Centre Maribor, Department of Orthopaedics, Ljubljanska ulica 5, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Matjaž
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vogrin
authors.affiliation: University of Maribor, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, PolyOrgLab, Smetanova 17, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krajnc
mesh_terms: D002356:Cartilage / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D010641:Phenotype; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016062:Porosity; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013343:Styrenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D013343:Styrenes; C493734:polyHIPE