Incorporation of hyaluronic acid into collagen scaffolds for the control of chondrocyte-mediated contraction and chondrogenesis.

Hyaluronic acid (HA), a principal matrix molecule in many tissues, is present in high amounts in articular cartilage. HA contributes in unique ways to the physical behavior of the tissue, and has been shown to have beneficial effects on chondrocyte activity. The goal of this study was to incorporate graduated amounts of HA into type I collagen scaffolds for the control of chondrocyte-mediated contraction and chondrogenesis in vitro. The results demonstrated that the amount of contraction of HA/collagen scaffolds by adult canine articular chondrocytes increased with the HA content of the scaffolds. The greatest amount of chondrogenesis after two weeks was found in the scaffolds which had undergone the most contraction. HA can play a useful role in adjusting the mechanical behavior of tissue engineering scaffolds and chondrogenesis in chondrocyte-seeded scaffolds.