Restoration of cartilage defect with silk fibrin/chitosan biological scaffold compound by bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in elderly rabbits / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the feasibility of restoration of cartilage defect with silk fibrin/chitosan(SF-CS)biological scaffold compound by induced bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)in the elderly rabbits.Methods BMSCs were extracted,cultured and induced to differentiate,then inoculated into SF-CS three-dimensional scaffold restoration.54 rabbits(aged 16-18months)were divided into scaffold restoration,single scaffold and control groups(n=18 per group).The right knee joint was used for building cartilage defect model and implanted by scaffolds.General observation,tissue staining and modified Wakitani histological scoring were performed at 4,8 and 12weeks after operation.Results SF-CS scaffold was structured by multiple interlinked pores.The average pore size was 151.72 μm.The porosity was(92.72±4.78)％.The imbibition rate was (141.10± 6.87)％.BMSCs was grown well and proliferated dynamically in SF-CS scaffold after induction.At 12 weeks,the cartilage defect was basically repaired,type Ⅱ collagen was positively expressed and the scaffold was almost assimilated in scaffold restoration group.In single scaffold group,the cartilage defect was repaired mainly by fiber tissue,type Ⅱ collagen was less expressed and the scaffold almost degraded while the cartilage defect was repaired badly in control group.The scaffold restoration group was superior to single scaffold and control groups(P＜0.05)in improving the Wakitani score.Conclusions The SF-CS scaffold as BMSCs carrier may restore cartilage defect in knee joint of the elderly rabbits.