Cartilage regeneration using a porous scaffold, a collagen sponge incorporating a hydroxyapatite/chondroitinsulfate composite

Because cartilage has limited potential for self-repair, tissue engineering is expected to replace the present therapies for damaged cartilage, such as total knee arthroplasty. However, scaffolds suitable for cartilage tissue engineering have not been established. We synthesized a novel porous scaffold, a collagen sponge incorporating a hydroxyapatite/chondroitinsulfate composite (pCol-HAp/ChS), containing materials which resemble extracellular matrices in bone and cartilage tissues, which needs high compressive strength for clinical use. HAp/ChS had smaller crystals and a larger total surface area than HAp. SEM images showed pCol-HAp/ChS to have the roughest surface compared with pCol and pCol-HAp. The mechanical properties suggest that pCol-HAp/ChS and pCol/HAp are similar, and superior to pCol. Seeding experiments showed a uniform distribution of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in pCol-HAp/ChS and pCol/HAp. Safranin O, Toluidine blue and Alcian blue staining after 2 weeks of culture revealed pCol-HAp/ChS to be the most chondrogenic in each case. In addition, MSCs in pCol-HAp/ChS produced more glycosaminoglycans, a cartilage matrix, than those in pCol-HAp. Further, pCol-HAp/ChS regenerated 15 times more cartilaginous tissue than pCol. From these results, pCol-HAp/ChS is expected to be a candidate for a scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering in place of collagen sponge.