Electrospun scaffolds with surfaces modified by plasma for regeneration of articular cartilage tissue: a pilot study in rabbit

Abstract

This paper focuses on the development of an electrospun scaffold for application in cartilage regenerative engineering. Based on polylactic acid and polycaprolactone, the surface was modified with plasma polymerized polypyrrole-Iodine (PPy-I), which aims to improve cellular interaction and to ease the adhesion of the protein aggrecan (AG), an important component of the extracellular matrix of native cartilage. In vitro tests with autologous chondrocytes cells of rabbit were performed, and in vivo tests were performed over 30 days. Morphological and chemical characterizations of the scaffolds were executed. A comparison of the neotissue was done through tensile tests, histology and immunohistochemistry.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Aggrecan
• cartilage
• electrospinning
• plasma polymerization
• pyrrole
• scaffold

Acknowledgments

We knowledge the electron microscopy facility of UAMI and Patricia Castillo Ocampo for the SEM images and the universal tensile test facility of UAMI and Xinah Herón Gutierrez-García for manufacturing the universal tensile machine.

Ethical conditions

The ethical standards of existing international health research, established for handling animals, were followed according to the Declaration of Helsinki and the General Health Secretariat in research.

Additional information

Funding

Nancy Cecilia Islas Arteaga is grateful to CONACyT, for scholarship, No. CVU 413075.