Novel poly(ethylene glycol) scaffolds crosslinked by hydrolyzable polyrotaxane for cartilage tissue engineering

• Published in: Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A Vol. 67A; no. 4; pp. 1087 - 1092
• Main Authors: Lee, Won Kyu, Ichi, Takahiro, Ooya, Tooru, Yamamoto, Takeyuki, Katoh, Masakazu, Yui, Nobuhiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 15.12.2003
• Subjects: Absorbable Implants; Animals; Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; biodegradable inclusion complex; Cartilage - cytology; Cartilage - metabolism; cartilage tissue engineering; Chondrocytes - cytology; Chondrocytes - metabolism; Cross-Linking Reagents - chemistry; Cyclodextrins - chemistry; Cyclodextrins - metabolism; Hydrogels - chemistry; Hydrogels - metabolism; Materials Testing; Molecular Structure; PEG hydrogel; Poloxamer - chemistry; Poloxamer - metabolism; Polyethylene Glycols - chemistry; Polyethylene Glycols - metabolism; polymer scaffold; polyrotaxane; Rabbits; Rotaxanes; Surface Properties; Tissue Engineering
• ISSN: 1549-3296; 1552-4965
• DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.10570

Highly porous poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogel scaffolds crosslinked with hydrolyzable polyrotaxane for cartilage tissue engineering were prepared by a solvent casting/salt leaching technique. The resultant scaffolds have well interconnected microporous structures ranging from 87 to 90%. Pore sizes ranging from 115.5–220.9 μm appeared to be dependent on the size of the sieved sodium chloride particulates. Moreover, a dense surface skin layer was not found on either side of the scaffold surfaces. Using microscopic Alcian blue staining of the chondrocyte‐seeded scaffolds, well adhered cells and newly produced glycosaminoglycans (GAG) were confirmed. Following the initial chondrocyte seeding onto the hydrogel scaffolds, the cell number was significantly increased, reaching 149, 877, and 1228 cells/mg of tissue at 8, 15, and 21 days in culture, respectively. The micrograph shows well adhered and spread chondrocytes in the interior pores and a cartilaginous extracellular matrix with a GAG fraction produced from the chondrocytes. Results suggest that the PEG hydrogel scaffolds crosslinked with the hydrolyzable polyrotaxane are a promising candidate for chondrocyte culture. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 67A: 1087–1092, 2003