Open AccessStiffness of photocrosslinkable gelatin hydrogel influences nucleus pulposus cell properties in vitro
Author(s) -
Xu Panpan,
Guan Jingjing,
Chen Yu,
Xiao Hui,
Yang Tianhao,
Sun Hengheng,
Wu Nan,
Zhang Changchun,
Mao Yingji
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of cellular and molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.44
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1582-4934
pISSN - 1582-1838
DOI - 10.1111/jcmm.16141
Subject(s) - self healing hydrogels , gelatin , tissue engineering , extracellular matrix , regeneration (biology) , chemistry , biophysics , biomedical engineering , cell encapsulation , hyaluronic acid , in vivo , materials science , microbiology and biotechnology , anatomy , polymer chemistry , biochemistry , biology , medicine
A key early sign of degenerative disc disease (DDD) is the loss of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells (NPCs). Accordingly, NPC transplantation is a treatment strategy for intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. However, in advanced DDD, due to structural damage of the IVD and scaffold mechanical properties, the transplanted cells are less viable and secrete less extracellular matrix, and thus, are unable to efficiently promote NP regeneration. In this study, we evaluated the encapsulation of NPCs in a photosensitive hydrogel made of collagen hydrolysate gelatin and methacrylate (GelMA) to improve NP regeneration. By adjusting the concentration of GelMA, we prepared hydrogels with different mechanical properties. After examining the mechanical properties, cell compatibility and tissue engineering indices of the GelMA‐based hydrogels, we determined the optimal hydrogel concentration of the NPC‐encapsulating GelMA hydrogel for NP regeneration as 5%. NPCs effectively combined with GelMA and proliferated. As the concentration of the GelMA hydrogel increased, the survival, proliferation and matrix deposition of the encapsulated NPCs gradually decreased, which is the opposite of NPCs grown on the surface of the hydrogel. The controllability of the GelMA hydrogels suggests that these NPC‐encapsulating hydrogels are promising candidates to aid in NP tissue engineering and repairing endogenous NPCs.