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A biodegradable composite scaffold for cell transplantation
Author(s) -
Ameer G. A.,
Mahmood T. A.,
Langer R.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of orthopaedic research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.041
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1554-527X
pISSN - 0736-0266
DOI - 10.1016/s0736-0266(01)00074-2
Subject(s) - fibrin , transplantation , scaffold , chemistry , biomedical engineering , cartilage , glycosaminoglycan , cell , surgery , anatomy , medicine , biochemistry , immunology
Cell transplantation is rapidly becoming a therapeutic option to treat disease and injury. However, standard techniques for cell seeding on non‐woven polymer meshes or within gels may not be suitable for immediate implantation or surgical manipulations of freshly isolated cells. Therefore, a biodegradable composite system was developed as a way to rapidly entrap cells within a support of predefined shape to potentially facilitate cell delivery into a target site (e.g. meniscal tears in the avascular zone). The composite construct consisted of freshly isolated cells, in this case pig chondrocytes, entrapped in a fibrin gel phase and dispersed throughout the void volume of a polyglycolic acid (PGA) non‐woven mesh. Composites were cultured for up to 4 weeks. In vitro degradation of fibrin gel was evaluated via gel‐entrapped urokinase. At 28 days in culture, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content per cell in the composite scaffolds was 2.6 times that of the PGA‐only cell construct group and 88% that of native pig cartilage. Total collagen content per cell in the composite scaffolds was not significantly different from the PGA‐only cell construct group ( P > 0.02) and represented 40% of the value determined for native cartilage. Varying the concentration of entrapped urokinase could effect controlled degradation of fibrin gel. © 2002 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.