A Newly Developed Chemically Crosslinked Dextran–Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Hydrogel for Cartilage Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Cartilage tissue engineering, in which chondrogenic cells are combined with a scaffold, is a cell-based approach to regenerate damaged cartilage. Various scaffold materials have been investigated, among which are hydrogels. Previously, we have developed dextran-based hydrogels that form under physiological conditions via a Michael-type addition reaction. Hydrogels can be formed in situ by mixing a thiol-functionalized dextran with a tetra-acrylated star poly(ethylene glycol) solution. In this article we describe how the degradation time of dextran-poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels can be varied from 3 to 7 weeks by changing the degree of substitution of thiol groups on dextran. The degradation times increased slightly after encapsulation of chondrocytes in the gels. The effect of the gelation reaction on cell viability and cartilage formation in the hydrogels was investigated. Chondrocytes or embryonic stem cells were mixed in the aqueous dextran solution, and we confirmed that the cells survived gelation. After a 3-week culturing period, chondrocytes and embryonic stem cell-derived embryoid bodies were still viable and both cell types produced cartilaginous tissue. Our data demonstrate the potential of dextran hydrogels for cartilage tissue engineering strategies.

Photocrosslinkable, biodegradable hydrogels with controlled cell adhesivity for prolonged siRNA delivery to hMSCs to enhance their osteogenic differentiation

“…39–42 Since it is biodegradable and biocompatible, DEX has been widely used for many biomedical purposes, such as in drug delivery 24, 41, 43, 44 and tissue engineering 45–47 applications. Each glucose unit of DEX contains three hydroxyl groups that permit chemical modification with various functional groups for covalent crosslinking.…”

Hydrogels for the Repair of Articular Cartilage Defects

“…The degradation of PEG hydrogels has also been varied by crosslinking with biodegradable genipin, 183 phosphate-releasing groups, 184 and by combining with dextran-based hydrogels. 185 In addition to the amount of degradation, the rate is also important. PEG hydrogels with an intermediate rate of degradation supported more cartilage formation by encapsulated chondrocytes than hydrogels with slower or faster degradation.…”

Affinity-based growth factor delivery using biodegradable, photocrosslinked heparin-alginate hydrogels

“…Hydrogels are widely applied in many biomedical applications, such as drug delivery [1–3], cell transplantation [4–6], and tissue engineering [7–10]. Hydrogels are frequently used in an injectable format, which allows them to be administered to a site in a minimally invasive manner.…”