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[Experimental study on gelatin-chondroitin sulfate-sodium hyaluronate tri-copolymer as novel scaffolds for cartilage
Hongbin Fan1, Yunyu Hu, Xusheng Li
1Institute of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, 710032, P. R. China.
Objective:
To fabricate a novel gelatin-chondroitin sulfate-sodium hyaluronate tri-copolymer scaffold and to confirm the feasibility of serving as a scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering.
Methods:
Different scaffolds was prepared with gelatin-chondroitin sulfate-sodium hyaluronate tri-copolymer by varying the freezing temperatures (-20 degrees C, - 80 degrees C and liquid nitrogen). Pore size, porosity, inter pores and density were observed with light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The load-stiffness curves were compared between different scaffolds and normal cartilage. The number of MSCs attaching to different scaffolds and the function of cells were also detected with MTT colorimetric microassay.
Results:
The pore size was 300 +/- 45, 230 +/- 30 and 45 +/- 10 microm; the porosity was 81%, 79% and 56%; the density was 9.41+/-0.25, 11.50 +/- 0. 36 and 29.50 +/- 0. 61 microg/mm3 respectively in different scaffolds fabricated at - 20 degrees C, - 80 degrees C and liquid nitrogen; the latter two scaffolds had nearly the same mechanical property with normal cartilage; the cell adhesion rates were 85.0%, 87.5% and 56.3% respectively in different scaffolds and the scaffolds can mildly promote the proliferation of MSCs.
Conclusion:
Gelatin-chondroitin sulfate-sodium hyaluronate tri-copolymer scaffold fabricated at -80 degrees C had proper pore size, porosity and mechanical property. It is a novel potential scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering.
