Influence of decreasing nutrient path length on the development of engineered cartilage

Chondrocyte-seeded agarose constructs of 4mm diameter (2.34 mm thickness) develop spatially inhomogeneous material properties with stiffer outer edges and a softer central core suggesting nutrient diffusion limitations to the central construct region [Guilak F, Sah RL, Setton LA. Physical regulation of cartilage metabolism. In: Mow VC, Hayes WC, Eds. Basic Orthopaedic Biomechanics, Philadelphia 1997;179-207.]. The effects of reducing construct thickness and creating channels running through the depth of the thick constructs were examined.

In Study 1, the properties of engineered cartilage of 0.78 mm (thin) or 2.34 mm (thick) thickness were compared. In Study 2, a single nutrient channel (1 mm diameter) was created in the middle of each thick construct. In Study 3, the effects of channels on larger 10 mm diameter, thick constructs were examined.

Thin constructs developed superior mechanical and biochemical properties than thick constructs. The channeled constructs developed significantly higher mechanical properties vs control channel-free constructs while exhibiting similar glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and collagen content. Collagen staining suggested that channels resulted in a more uniform fibrillar network. Improvements in constructs of 10 mm diameter were similarly observed.

This study demonstrated that more homogeneous tissue-engineered cartilage constructs with improved mechanical properties can be achieved by reducing their thickness or incorporating macroscopic nutrient channels. Our data further suggests that these macroscopic channels remain open long enough to promote this enhanced tissue development while exhibiting the potential to refill with cell elaborated matrix with additional culture time. Together with reports that <3 mm defects in cartilage heal in vivo and that irregular holes are associated with clinically used osteochondral graft procedures, we anticipate that a strategy of incorporating macroscopic channels may aid the development of clinically relevant engineered cartilage with functional properties.