Journal Article

A novel allogeneic acellular matrix scaffold for porcine cartilage regeneration

Liu, Yuan, Xu, Xingquan, Jiang, Huiming, Wu, Rui, Shi, Dongquan, Chen, Fufei, Lu, Jun, Li, Jiawei, Liu, Zizheng, Jiang, Yiqiu

2023

Overview

Background Cartilage defects are common sports injuries without significant treatment. Articular cartilage with inferior regenerative potential resulted in the poor formation of hyaline cartilage in defects. Acellular matrix scaffolds provide a microenvironment and biochemical properties similar to those of native tissues and are widely used for tissue regeneration. Therefore, we aimed to design a novel acellular cartilage matrix scaffold (ACS) for cartilage regeneration and hyaline-like cartilage formation. Methods Four types of cartilage injury models, including full-thickness cartilage defects (6.5 and 8.5 mm in diameter and 2.5 mm in depth) and osteochondral defects (6.5 and 8.5 mm in diameter and 5 mm in depth), were constructed in the trochlear groove of the right femurs of pigs (n = 32, female, 25–40 kg). The pigs were divided into 8 groups (4 in each group) based on post-surgery treatment differences. was assessed by macroscopic appearance, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), micro–computed tomography (micro-CT), and histologic and immunohistochemistry tests. Results At 6 months, the ACS-implanted group exhibited better defect filling and a greater number of chondrocyte-like cells in the defect area than the blank groups. MRI and micro-CT imaging evaluations revealed that ACS implantation was an effective treatment for cartilage regeneration. The immunohistochemistry results suggested that more hyaline-like cartilage was generated in the defects of the ACS-implanted group. Conclusions ACS implantation promoted cartilage repair in full-thickness cartilage defects and osteochondral defects with increased hyaline-like cartilage formation at the 6-month follow-up.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Acellular matrix scaffold / Applied Microbiology / Articular cartilage / Biochemical Engineering / Biomedical Engineering/Biotechnology / Biomedical materials / Biotechnology / Bone marrow / Care and treatment / Cartilage / Cartilage (articular) / Cartilage repair / Chemistry / Chemistry and Materials Science / Chondrocytes / Collagen / Computed tomography / CT imaging / Defects / Diameters / females / Genetic Engineering / Grooves / Health aspects / Immunohistochemistry / Implantation / Laboratory animals / Magnetic resonance imaging / magnetism / Medical imaging / Medical research / Medicine, Experimental / Methods / micro-computed tomography / Microenvironments / Physiological aspects / Plant Breeding/Biotechnology / Regeneration (Biology) / Regeneration (physiology) / Regenerative medicine / Scaffolds / Sports injuries / Sports related injuries / Swine / Thickness / Tissue Engineering / tissue repair