Biphasic nanofibrous constructs with seeded cell layers for osteochondral repair

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Osteochondral interfacial tissue regeneration is challenging due to its complex stratified structure.
• Biphasic scaffolds offer a promising strategy to mimic the distinct layers of cartilage and calcified bone.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel biphasic nanofiber construct for osteochondral regeneration.
• To assess the in vitro and in vivo performance of a cell-laden construct composed of poly(lactide-co-caprolactone) (PLCL) and mineralized PLCL (mPLCL).

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a biphasic nanofiber scaffold using PLCL and mPLCL.
• Seeding of articular chondrocytes (ACs) onto PLCL and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) onto mPLCL layers.
• In vitro characterization of cell phenotypes and in vivo implantation into nude mice for 4 weeks.

Main Results:

• In vitro analysis confirmed ACs and MSCs adopted chondrogenic and osteogenic phenotypes, respectively.
• Histological and molecular analyses supported cell differentiation on respective nanofiber layers.
• In vivo studies indicated the potential formation of both cartilage and bone-like tissues within the biphasic construct.

Conclusions:

• Cell-laden biphasic nanofiber constructs demonstrate potential for osteochondral regeneration.
• The proposed scaffold effectively supports differentiation of chondrocytes and osteoblasts.
• This approach may offer a viable solution for repairing osteochondral defects.