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Full-thickness osteochondral defect repair using a biodegradable bilayered scaffold of porous zinc and chondroitin sulfate hydrogel

Bioactive Materials, vol. 32, pp. 400–414

Abstract

The regeneration of osteochondral tissue necessitates the re-establishment of a gradient owing to the unique characteristics and healing potential of the chondral and osseous phases. As the self-healing capacity of hyaline cartilage is limited, timely mechanical support during neo-cartilage formation is crucial to achieving optimal repair efficacy. In this study, we devised a biodegradable bilayered scaffold, comprising chondroitin sulfate (CS) hydrogel to regenerate chondral tissue and a porous pure zinc (Zn) scaffold for regeneration of the underlying bone as mechanical support for the cartilage layer. The photocured CS hydrogel possessed a compressive strength of 82 kPa, while the porous pure Zn scaffold exhibited a yield strength of 11 MPa and a stiffness of 0.8 GPa. Such mechanical properties are similar to values reported for cancellous bone. In vitro biological experiments demonstrated that the bilayered scaffold displayed favorable cytocompatibility and promoted chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stem cells. Upon implantation, the scaffold facilitated the simultaneous regeneration of bone and cartilage tissue in a porcine model, resulting in (i) a smoother cartilage surface, (ii) more hyaline-like cartilage, and (iii) a superior integration into the adjacent host tissue. Our bilayered scaffold exhibits significant potential for clinical application in osteochondral regeneration.

Authors 10

  1. Peking University · Peking University Third Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Institute of Sports Medicine of Peking University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Sports Injuries, Engineering Research Center of Sports Trauma Treatment Technology and Devices, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China

  2. State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials · University of Science and Technology Beijing

    Affiliation as printed

    Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China

  3. State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials · University of Science and Technology Beijing

    Affiliation as printed

    Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China

  4. State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials · University of Science and Technology Beijing

    Affiliation as printed

    Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China

  5. Peking University · Peking University Third Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Institute of Sports Medicine of Peking University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Sports Injuries, Engineering Research Center of Sports Trauma Treatment Technology and Devices, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China

  6. Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, 52074, Germany

    Institute of Structural Mechanics and Lightweight Design, RWTH Aachen University, 52062, Aachen, Germany

  7. State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials · University of Science and Technology Beijing

    Affiliation as printed

    Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China

  8. Dong Jiang corresponding

    Peking University · Peking University Third Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Institute of Sports Medicine of Peking University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Sports Injuries, Engineering Research Center of Sports Trauma Treatment Technology and Devices, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China

  9. Hongjie Huang corresponding

    Peking University · Peking University Third Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Institute of Sports Medicine of Peking University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Sports Injuries, Engineering Research Center of Sports Trauma Treatment Technology and Devices, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China

  10. Jianquan Wang corresponding

    Peking University · Peking University Third Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Institute of Sports Medicine of Peking University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Sports Injuries, Engineering Research Center of Sports Trauma Treatment Technology and Devices, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China

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References 70