Laboratorio di Biomeccanica, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Via Di Barbiano, 1/10-40136 Bologna, Italy.
J Orthop Res. 2010 Jan;28(1):116-24. doi: 10.1002/jor.20958.
The objective of this article was to investigate the safety and regenerative potential of a newly developed biomimetic scaffold when applied to osteochondral defects in an animal model. A new multilayer gradient nano-composite scaffold was obtained by nucleating collagen fibrils with hydroxyapatite nanoparticles. In the femoral condyles of 12 sheep, 24 osteochondral lesions were created. Animals were randomized into three treatment groups: scaffold alone, scaffold colonized in vitro with autologous chondrocytes and empty defects. Six months after surgery, the animals were sacrificed and the lesions were histologically evaluated. Histologic and gross evaluation of specimens showed good integration of the chondral surface in all groups except for the control group. Significantly better bone regeneration was observed both in the group receiving the scaffold alone and in the group with scaffold loaded with autologous chondrocytes. No difference in cartilage surface reconstruction and osteochondral defect filling was noted between cell-seeded and cell-free groups. In the control group, no bone or cartilage defect healing occurred, and the defects were filled with fibrous tissue. Quantitative macroscopic and histological score evaluations confirmed the qualitative trends observed. The results of the present study showed that this novel osteochondral scaffold is safe and easy to use, and may represent a suitable matrix to direct and coordinate the process of bone and hyaline-like cartilage regeneration. The comparable regeneration process observed with or without autologous chondrocytes suggests that the main mode of action of the scaffold is based on the recruitment of local cells.
本文旨在研究一种新型仿生支架在动物模型中的安全性和再生潜力。通过将纳米羟基磷灰石核化于胶原纤维上，获得了一种新型多层梯度纳米复合支架。在 12 只绵羊的股骨髁上，共创建了 24 个骨软骨缺损。动物被随机分为三组：单纯支架组、体外接种自体软骨细胞的支架组和空缺陷组。术后 6 个月，处死动物并对病变进行组织学评估。组织学和大体评估标本显示，除对照组外，所有组的软骨表面均有良好的整合。单独使用支架组和负载自体软骨细胞的支架组的骨再生明显更好。细胞接种组和无细胞组的软骨表面重建和骨软骨缺损填充无差异。在对照组中，无骨或软骨缺损愈合，缺损填充纤维组织。宏观和组织学评分的定量评价证实了定性趋势。本研究结果表明，这种新型骨软骨支架安全易用，可能是一种合适的基质，可引导和协调骨和透明软骨再生过程。有无自体软骨细胞的再生过程相似，表明支架的主要作用模式基于募集局部细胞。
