背景:软骨组织工程主要包括种子细胞、支架材料、细胞因子及生物反应器等,其中支架材料是构建组织工程软骨的关键环节。目的:制备关节软骨细胞外基质/人脐带Wharton胶复合多孔支架,评估其理化特性及细胞相容性。方法:采用物理法分别制备猪关节软骨细胞外基质及人脐带Wharton胶,然后以冻融干燥法制备关节软骨细胞外基质/人脐带Wharton胶复合多孔支架,检测支架的孔隙率、吸水率、组织成分及纵向压缩弹性模量,并进行组织学染色。将关节软骨细胞外基质/人脐带Wharton胶复合多孔支架与兔软骨细胞共培养7 d,进行扫描电镜观察、活-死细胞染色及苏木精-伊红染色;分别采用关节软骨细胞外基质/人脐带Wharton胶复合多孔支架浸提液与细胞培养液培养兔软骨细胞6 d,MTT法检测细胞增殖。结果与结论:(1)关节软骨细胞外基质/人脐带Wharton胶复合多孔支架横断面为均匀的多孔网状结构,孔壁上密布软骨纤维,纵断面为垂直管状结构,支架苏木精-伊红红染、番红O及甲苯胺蓝染色均呈阳性,含有胶原和糖胺多糖成分,支架的吸水率、孔隙率和纵向压缩弹性模量分别为(17.418 8±0.909 0)%、(81.495 1±6.621 0)%和(2.833 3±0.456 4)k Pa;(2)共培养7 d,兔软骨细胞在支架上黏附和增殖,并均匀长入支架孔隙内;(3)关节软骨细胞外基质/人脐带Wharton胶复合多孔支架浸提液对软骨细胞无毒性;(4)结果表明,关节软骨细胞外基质/人脐带Wharton胶复合多孔支架的理化性能及生化成分与天然软骨相似,具有良好的细胞相容性。
BACKGROUND: Soft tissue engineering mainly includes seed cells, scaffolds, cytokines and bioreactors, among which, the scaffolds are the key link in the construction of tissue-engineered cartilage. OBJECTIVE: To prepare an articular cartilage extracellular matrix/human umbilical cord Wharton gel porous scaffold, and to evaluate its physicochemical properties and biocompatibility. METHODS: The articular cartilage extracellular matrix/human umbilical cord Wharton gel porous scaffold was prepared by freeze thawing drying method using porcine articular cartilage extracellular matrix and human umbilical cord Wharton glue as raw materials. The porosity, water absorption, tissue composition and longitudinal compressive elastic modulus of the scaffold were measured and histologically stained. Rabbit chondrocytes were co-cultured with the articular cartilage extracellular matrix/human umbilical cord Wharton gel porous scaffold for 7 days. Then, scanning electron microscopy, live-dead cell staining and hematoxylin-eosin staining were performed. In addition, rabbit chondrocytes were cultured in the extract of the articular cartilage extracellular matrix/human umbilical cord Wharton gel porous scaffold and cell culture medium for 6 days, respectively; and MTT assay was used to detect cell proliferation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The articular cartilage extracellular matrix/human umbilical cord Wharton gel porous scaffolds had a cross-section of uniform porous network structure and a vertical cross-section of the vertical tubular structure, and the pore wall was densely covered with cartilage fibers. The composite porous scaffold was positive for hematoxylin-eosin staining, safranin O staining and toluidine blue staining, and contained collagen and glycosaminoglycan ingredients. The water absorption, porosity and longitudinal compressive elastic modulus of the scaffolds were (17.418 8±0.909 0)%, (81.495 1±6.621 0)% and (2.833 3±0.456 4) kPa, respectively. After 7 days of co-culture, rabbit chondrocytes