3D Hydrogel Scaffolds for Articular Chondrocyte Culture and Cartilage Generation

Abstract

Human articular cartilage is highly susceptible to damage and has limited self-repair and regeneration potential. Cell-based strategies to engineer cartilage tissue offer a promising solution to repair articular cartilage. To select the optimal cell source for tissue repair, it is important to develop an appropriate culture platform to systematically examine the biological and biomechanical differences in the tissue-engineered cartilage by different cell sources. Here we applied a three-dimensional (3D) biomimetic hydrogel culture platform to systematically examine cartilage regeneration potential of juvenile, adult, and osteoarthritic (OA) chondrocytes. The 3D biomimetic hydrogel consisted of synthetic component poly(ethylene glycol) and bioactive component chondroitin sulfate, which provides a physiologically relevant microenvironment for in vitro culture of chondrocytes. In addition, the scaffold may be potentially used for cell delivery for cartilage repair in vivo. Cartilage tissue engineered in the scaffold can be evaluated using quantitative gene expression, immunofluorescence staining, biochemical assays, and mechanical testing. Utilizing these outcomes, we were able to characterize the differential regenerative potential of chondrocytes of varying age, both at the gene expression level and in the biochemical and biomechanical properties of the engineered cartilage tissue. The 3D culture model could be applied to investigate the molecular and functional differences among chondrocytes and progenitor cells from different stages of normal or aberrant development.

Effects of insulin-like growth factor 1 and basic fibroblast growth factor on the morphology and proliferation of chondrocytes embedded in Matrigel in a microfluidic platform

“…A previous study demonstrated that although the expansion of chondrocytes in 3D culture effectively maintained the chondrocyte phenotype, this method produced a much slower proliferation rate compared with the monolayer culture (32). Thus, it is necessary to accelerate the proliferation of chondrocytes in 3D culture.…”

Increased Chondrogenic Potential of Mesenchymal Cells From Adipose Tissue Versus Bone Marrow‐Derived Cells in Osteoarthritic In Vitro Models

“…OA is characterized by an imbalance between anabolic and catabolic activities of chondrocytes: the homeostasis of extracellular matrix (ECM) is altered with consequent articular cartilage erosion and vascularization, osteophyte formation, and even subchondral bone uncovering in more severe cases. For its biological features, articular cartilage has very limited regeneration capability (Fini et al, ; Correia et al, ; Morille et al, ; Prabhakar et al, ; Smeriglio et al, ) and to date the optimal therapeutic intervention able to regenerate a mature tissue, with the same biological and biomechanical properties of the native cartilage, is still missing (Kon et al, ).…”

Co‑culture of bone marrow stromal cells and chondrocytes in�vivo for the repair of the goat condylar cartilage defects

“…Investigating biomaterials used as three-dimensional scaffolds for cell delivery and therapy has recently become a major focus in the field of tissue engineering (40,41). …”