Institute of Health Science, Department of Biomechanics, Dokuz Eylül University, 35340 Izmir, Turkey.
Faculty of Engineering, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Dokuz Eylül University, 35390 Izmir, Turkey.
Int J Biol Macromol. 2022 Nov 30;221:1171-1183. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.09.031. Epub 2022 Sep 7.
The meniscus is a fibrocartilaginous tissue that is very important for the stability of the knee joint. However, it has a low ability to heal itself, so damage to it will always lead to articular cartilage degeneration. The goal of this study was to make a new type of meniscus scaffold made of chitosan, loofah mat, and PHBV nanofibers, as well as to describe hydrogel composite scaffolds in terms of their shape, chemical composition, mechanical properties, and temperature. Three different concentrations of genipin (0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 %) were used and the optimal crosslinker concentration was 0.3 % for Chitosan/loofah (CL) and Chitosan/loofah/PHBV fiber (CLF). Scaffolds were seeded using undifferentiated MSCs and incubated for 21 days to investigate the chondrogenic potential of hydrogel scaffolds. Cell proliferation analyses were performed using WST-1 assay, GAG content was analyzed, SEM and fluorescence imaging observed morphologies and cell attachment, and histological and immunohistochemical studies were performed. The in vitro analysis showed no cytotoxic effect and enabled cells to attach, proliferate, and migrate inside the scaffold. In conclusion, the hydrogel composite scaffold is a promising material for engineering meniscus tissue.
半月板是一种纤维软骨组织，对膝关节的稳定性非常重要。然而，它自我修复的能力很低，所以半月板的损伤总会导致关节软骨退化。本研究的目的是制造一种新型的由壳聚糖、丝瓜络垫和 PHBV 纳米纤维组成的半月板支架，并描述水凝胶复合支架在形状、化学成分、机械性能和温度方面的特点。使用了三种不同浓度的京尼平（0.1%、0.3%和 0.5%），壳聚糖/丝瓜络（CL）和壳聚糖/丝瓜络/PHBV 纤维（CLF）的最佳交联剂浓度为 0.3%。使用未分化的间充质干细胞对支架进行接种，并孵育 21 天，以研究水凝胶支架的软骨生成潜力。通过 WST-1 测定法进行细胞增殖分析，分析 GAG 含量，SEM 和荧光成像观察形态和细胞附着情况，并进行组织学和免疫组织化学研究。体外分析表明该水凝胶复合支架没有细胞毒性，能够使细胞附着、增殖和迁移到支架内部。总之，水凝胶复合支架是一种有前途的工程半月板组织材料。
