cartilage tissue engineering

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a common degenerative articular disorder and is one of the main causes of pain and functional disability. Cartilage damage is frequently linked to elevated osteoarthritis incidence. Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2 ) decellularized cartilage graft produced from the porcine cartilage is an ideal candidate for cartilage tissue engineering. In the present study, we derived collagen type II (Col II) solution from the scCO2 decellularized porcine cartilage graft (dPCG) and compared its efficacy with hyaluronic acid (HA) in the surgical medial meniscectomy (MNX) induced post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) model...

Three-dimensional (3D) structures are actually the state-of-the-art technique to create porous scaffolds for tissue engineering. Since regeneration in cartilage tissue is limited due to intrinsic cellular properties this study aims to develop and characterize three-dimensional porous scaffolds of poly (L-co-D, L lactide-co-trimethylene carbonate), PLDLA-TMC, obtained by 3D fiber deposition technique. The PLDLA-TMC terpolymer scaffolds (70:30), were obtained and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, thermal gravimetric analysis, compression mechanical testing and study on in vitro degradation, which showed its amorphous characteristics, cylindrical geometry, and interconnected pores...

The rational design of hydrogel materials to modulate the immune microenvironment has emerged as a pivotal approach in expediting tissue repair and regeneration. Within the immune microenvironment, an array of immune cells exists, with macrophages gaining prominence in the field of tissue repair and regeneration due to their roles in cytokine regulation to promote regeneration, maintain tissue homeostasis, and facilitate repair. Macrophages can be categorized into two types: classically activated M1 (pro-inflammatory) and alternatively activated M2 (anti-inflammatory and pro-repair)...

In this study, we developed polydopamine (PDA)-functionalized alginate dialdehyde-gelatine (ADA-GEL) scaffolds for subchondral bone regeneration. These polymeric scaffolds were then coated with β-Lactoglobulin (β-LG) at concentrations of 1 mg/ml and 2 mg/ml. Morphological analysis indicated a homogeneous coating of the β-LG layer on the surface of network-like scaffolds. The β-LG-coated scaffolds exhibited improved swelling capacity as a function of the β-LG concentration. Compared to ADA-GEL/PDA scaffolds, the β-LG-coated scaffolds demonstrated delayed degradation and enhanced biomineralization...

This work presents a proof-of-concept of a robotic-driven intra-operative scanner designed for knee cartilage lesion repair, part of a system for direct in vivo bioprinting. The proposed system is based on a photogrammetric pipeline, which reconstructs the cartilage and lesion surfaces from sets of photographs acquired by a robotic-handled endoscope, and produces 3D grafts for further printing path planning. A validation on a synthetic phantom is presented, showing that, despite the cartilage smooth and featureless surface, the current prototype can accurately reconstruct osteochondral lesions and their surroundings with mean error values of 0...

OBJECTIVE: Herein we propose a combined action of collagen type I (CA) or synthetic collagen-like-peptide functionalized with the cell adhesive RGD motif (PEG-CLP-RGD) hydrogels and selected growth factors to promote chondrogenic differentiation of human muscle-derived stem cells (hMDSCs) under normal and reduced oxygen conditions. METHODS: hMDSCs were set for differentiation towards chondrogenic lineage using BMP-7 and TGF-β3. Cells were seeded onto hydrogels loaded with growth factors (75ng/scaffold) and cultured for 28 days under normal (21%) and severe hypoxic (1%) conditions...

Osteoarthritis is characterized by enzymatic breakdown of the articular cartilage via the disruption of chondrocyte homeostasis, ultimately resulting in the destruction of the articular surface. Decades of research have highlighted the importance of inflammation in osteoarthritis progression, with inflammatory cytokines shifting resident chondrocytes into a pro-catabolic state. Inflammation can result in poor outcomes for cells implanted for cartilage regeneration. Therefore, a method to promote the growth of new cartilage and protect the implanted cells from the pro-inflammatory cytokines found in the joint space is required...

Cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin are the major bio-components in lignocellulosic biomass (BC-LB), which possess excellent biomechanical properties and biocompatibility to satisfy the demands of orthopedic applications. To understand the basis and trends in the development of major bio-components in BC-LB in orthopedics, the bibliometric technology was applied to get unique insights based on the published papers (741) in the Web of Science (WOS) database from January 1st, 2001, to February 14th, 2023. The analysis includes the annual distributions of publications, keywords co-linearity, research hotspots exploration, author collaboration networks, published journals, and clustering of co-cited literature...

Biphasic models have been widely used to simulate the time-dependent biomechanical response of soft tissues. Modelling techniques of joints with biphasic weight-bearing soft tissues have been markedly improved over the last decade, enhancing our understanding of the function, degenerative mechanism and outcomes of interventions of joints. This paper reviews the recent advances, challenges and opportunities in computational models of joints with biphasic weight-bearing soft tissues. The review begins with an introduction of the function and degeneration of joints from a biomechanical aspect...

OBJECTIVE: Chondrocytes, which typically rely on anaerobic metabolism, exhibit upregulated biosynthetic activity when subjected to conditions that elicit mixed aerobic-anaerobic metabolism. Previously, we observed that increasing media volume resulted in the transition from anaerobic to mixed aerobic-anaerobic metabolism. Maximal extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation occurred at this transition as a result of changes in HIF-1α signaling and associated hypoxic gene expression. This study aimed to explore the effect of further increases in media availability on ECM synthesis and chondrocyte metabolism...

The use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in cartilage regeneration has gained significant attention in regenerative medicine. This paper reviews the molecular mechanisms underlying MSC-based cartilage regeneration and explores various therapeutic strategies to enhance the efficacy of MSCs in this context. MSCs exhibit multipotent capabilities and can differentiate into various cell lineages under specific microenvironmental cues. Chondrogenic differentiation, a complex process involving signaling pathways, transcription factors, and growth factors, plays a pivotal role in the successful regeneration of cartilage tissue...

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are ubiquitous components in the cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM). Ultrastructural arrangement of ECM and GAG mediated interactions with collagen are known to govern the mechanics in articular cartilage, but these interactions are less clear in other cartilage types. Therefore, this article reviews the current literature on ultrastructure of articular, auricular, meniscal, and nasal septal cartilage, seeking insight into GAG mediated interactions influencing mechanics. Ultrastructural features of these cartilages are discussed to highlight differences between them...

Microtia is a congenital auricle dysplasia with a high incidence and tissue engineering technology provides a promising strategy to reconstruct auricles. We previously described that the engineered cartilage constructed from microtia chondrocytes exhibited inferior levels of biochemical and biomechanical properties, which was proposed to be resulted from the decreased migration ability of microtia chondrocytes. In the current study, we found that Rho GTPase members were deficient in microtia chondrocytes. By overexpressing RhoA, Rac1 and CDC42, respectively, we further demonstrated that RhoA took great responsibility for the decreased migration ability of microtia chondrocytes...

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a linear, anionic, non-sulfated glycosaminoglycan occurring in almost all body tissues and fluids of vertebrates including humans. It is a main component of the extracellular matrix and, thanks to its high water-holding capacity, plays a major role in tissue hydration and osmotic pressure maintenance, but it is also involved in cell proliferation, differentiation and migration, inflammation, immunomodulation, and angiogenesis. Based on multiple physiological effects on tissue repair and reconstruction processes, HA has found extensive application in regenerative medicine...

Dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG) has been found to stimulate osteogenesis and angiogenesis of stem cells, promoting neo-angiogenesis in bone tissue regeneration. In this review, we conducted a comprehensive search of the literature to investigate the effects of DMOG on osteogenesis and bone regeneration. We screened the studies based on specific inclusion criteria and extracted relevant information from both in vitro and in vivo experiments. The risk of bias in animal studies was evaluated using the SYRCLE tool...

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) that are promising for cartilage tissue engineering secrete high amounts of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), an immunoactive mediator involved in endochondral bone development. This study aimed to identify drivers of PGE2 and its role in the inadvertent MSC misdifferentiation into hypertrophic chondrocytes. PGE2 release, which rose in the first three weeks of MSC chondrogenesis, was jointly stimulated by endogenous BMP, WNT, and hedgehog activity that supported the exogenous stimulation by TGF-β1 and insulin to overcome the PGE2 inhibition by dexamethasone...

Gene therapy has the potential to facilitate targeted expression of therapeutic proteins to promote cartilage regeneration in osteoarthritis (OA). The dense, avascular, aggrecan-glycosaminoglycan (GAG) rich negatively charged cartilage, however, hinders their transport to reach chondrocytes in effective doses. While viral vector mediated gene delivery has shown promise, concerns over immunogenicity and tumorigenic side-effects persist. To address these issues, this study develops surface-modified cartilage-targeting exosomes as non-viral carriers for gene therapy...

BACKGROUND: Marrow stimulation is a common reparative approach to treat injuries to cartilage and other soft tissues (e.g., rotator cuff). It involves the recruitment of bone marrow elements and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into the defect, theoretically initiating a regenerative process. However, the resulting repair tissue is often weak and susceptible to deterioration with time. The populations of cells at the marrow stimulation site (beyond MSCs), and their contribution to inflammation, vascularity, and fibrosis, may play a role in quality of the repair tissue...

Traditional tissue engineering methods face challenges, such as fabrication, implantation of irregularly shaped scaffolds, and limited accessibility for immediate healthcare providers. In situ bioprinting, an alternate strategy, involves direct deposition of biomaterials, cells, and bioactive factors at the site, facilitating on-site fabrication of intricate tissue, which can offer a patient-specific personalized approach and align with the principles of precision medicine. It can be applied using a handled device and robotic arms to various tissues, including skin, bone, cartilage, muscle, and composite tissues...

Bacterial cellulose (BC) hydrogels are promising medical biomaterials that have been widely used for tissue repair, wound healing and cartilage engineering. However, the high water content of BC hydrogels increases the difficulty of storage and transportation. Moreover, they will lose their original hydrogel structure after dehydration, which severely limits their practical applications. Introducing the bio-based polyelectrolytes is expected to solve this problem. Here, we modified BC and combined it with quaternized chitosan (QCS) via a chemical reaction to obtain a dehydrated dialdehyde bacterial cellulose/quaternized chitosan (DBC/QCS) hydrogel with repeated swelling behavior and good antibacterial properties...