Alginate hydrogel embedding poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) porous scaffold disks for cartilage tissue engineering

• Published in: Macromolecular research 2012, 20(5), , pp.447-452
• Main Authors: Choi, Sung-Wook, Moon, Seung-Kwan, Chu, Ji-Yeon, Lee, Hye-Won, Park, Tae-Joon, Kim, Jung-Hyun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Complex Fluids and Microfluidics; Nanochemistry; Nanotechnology; Physical Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Soft and Granular Matter; 고분자공학
• ISSN: 1598-5032; 2092-7673
• DOI: 10.1007/s13233-012-0130-2

Small poly( D,L -lactide- co -glycolide) scaffold disks (2 mm in diameter) with a bimodal porous structure of 237.5±34.2 μm for large pores and 9.2±3.9 μm for micropores were prepared by gas-forming and controlled-precipitation methods. Chondrocyte-seeded scaffold disks were dispersed in an alginate solution containing culture media. The dispersion was transferred into a Teflon mold with a specific shape, eventually forming an alginate hydrogel (approximately 1 cm in dimension) that contains cell/disk aggregates after crosslinking using CaCl 2 . In vitro assessment of the alginate hydrogel showed significant increases in DNA and glycosaminoglycan content after 21 days, suggesting that chondrocyte still proliferated on the small scaffold disks in the alginate hydrogel despite its large dimensions. Moreover, in vivo immunohistochemical analysis of the alginate hydrogel demonstrated that chondrocytes secreted native extracellular matrix proteins ( e.g. , collagen, proteoglycan). We believe that our approach of using alginate hydrogel containing cell/disk aggregates with a shape fitted to the target site could provide a versatile platform to engineer large and thick tissues and/or organs.