A combinatorial approach: Cryo-printing and electrospinning hybrid scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering

Osteoarthritis is the predominant form of arthritis and is a leading cause of disability. Tissue engineered scaffolds are showing great promise for the treatment of cartilage defects. The cartilage consists of a complex architecture, which is greatly responsible for its properties and functions. In this study, highly porous multizone scaffolds were fabricated using both cryo-printing and electrospinning. The developed multizone scaffolds successfully mimic the complex structure of the collagen fibre orientation in the native cartilage. MSC were seeded onto the multizone scaffolds. Cell viability, DNA quantification and fluorescence staining demonstrated that these scaffolds allow MSC attachment and viability after 4 weeks of in vitro culture. Moreover, a key chondrogenesis factor, glycosaminoglycan, was maintained over 4 weeks of culture. Compressive properties of the multizone scaffolds were significantly lower in comparison to the phase separated control, making it mechanically suitable for the cartilage. Overall, this study produced multizone scaffolds which express a complex structure similar to that of the native cartilage and the results demonstrate the ability of the multizone scaffolds to act as platforms for MSC attachment and survival, highlighting the potential within cartilage tissue engineering.