Chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds for articular cartilage injury / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that the chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite scaffold with good biological performance is very similar to natural bone in structure, and plays the performance of different materials. OBJECTIVE:To observe the repairing effect of chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite scaffold on articular cartilage injury. METHODS:Thirty New Zealand white rabbits were selected to make articular cartilage injury on the left knee, and then model rabbits were randomly divided into sodium hyaluronate gel group (control group, n=15) and chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite scaffold group (experimental group, n=15). At 4, 8, 12 weeks after scaffoldimplantation, cartilage tissues were taken out and observed histological y. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed higher Wakitani scores at 4, 8, 12 weeks, but lower Mankin scores at 4 and 12 weeks after implantation (both P<0.05). Safranin-O staining results showed that at 4 weeks after implantation, chondrocytes arranged relatively in disorder with overt pleated smal projections in the control group, while chondrocytes were wel aligned with slightly pleated smal projections and slightly large nuclei in the experimental group;at 8 weeks, chondrocytes arranged irregularly with pleated smal projections in the control group, while in the experimental group, the chondrocytes arranged orderly with pleated smal projections and large nuclei;at 12 weeks, the chondrocytes in the control group exhibited a substantial y ordered arrangement with pleated smal projections and large nuclei, while in the experimental group, the chondrocytes arranged in order with no pleated smal projections but with large nuclei. Al these findings indicate that chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite scaffold can promote articular cartilage repair.