基于组织工程研究的可降解支架材料选择策略

目前,器官或组织移植是治疗器官衰竭或大范围组织缺损唯一长期有效的方法,但存在供体短缺、免疫排斥等问题。组织工程技术作为一种潜在的替代治疗方法,支架材料的选择是其中具有决定意义的组成部分。组织工程支架材料按其来源可分为天然及其改性修饰材料、人工合成与复合支架材料3种。组织工程目的就是修复临床上的病损组织或器官,并达到较理想的结构和功能的恢复。因此组织工程支架也必须从基本性质上具有一定的仿生化结构及功能,即"活"支架,这样才能彻底代替病损组织或器官。通过多种支架材料的优化组合(即材料的复合),对材料进行表面改性、制备工艺优化及添加细胞因子缓释微球等技术,模拟病损器官组织的特性及周围环境,有望打开组织工程的新局面。理想的组织工程支架应当以临床需要为根本目的,依靠材料学、分子生物学、工程学等多学科间的交叉研究,取各家之长,优化配比组合,达到仿生的目的。本课题组前期工作已经将骨髓间充质干细胞体外诱导分化为胆管上皮样细胞,并设计出左旋聚乳酸/聚己内酯共聚物(PLCL)胆道支架,内部混有包含生长因子的纳米缓释微球,供细胞因子的远期释放,支架内表面涂有基质胶/胶原混合层,且胶内加入bFGF、EGF,提供诱导因子的早期释放。将诱导细胞与PLCL胆道支架复合,制备组织工程胆管。文中综述了现存各类支架材料的研究状况,简单介绍了制备工艺、表面修饰等影响支架性能的因素,力求探索组织工程支架材料的选择策略。     

利用新型聚羟丁酸酯材料构建组织工程软骨

目的:研究新型聚羟丁酸酯作为组织工程软骨支架材料的可行性.方法:取幼兔软骨组织中软骨细胞体外培养扩增.实验组接种软骨细胞于支架材料上,体外培养两周后埋植于新西兰大白兔背部皮下;对照组埋入未接种细胞的支架材料.扫描电镜观察材料表面形态及细胞生长情况.分别于第4、8、12周取出标本,大体观察后进行HE和Masson染色,观察组织工程软骨形成情况.结果:扫描电镜观察可见裸材料孔隙分布均匀,形状不规则;细胞材料复合体体外培养两周后材料表面爬满细胞且生长状态良好.埋植材料取出后可见不同时间点实验组标本大小无明显变化,对照组标本逐渐变小.HE和Masson染色显示各组支架材料至12周时已被完全吸收;实验组12周时可见较成熟软骨组织;对照组支架材料被吸收后最终被纤维结缔组织取代.结论:此新型聚羟丁酸酯材料可作为组织工程软骨支架材料.     

组织工程软骨种子细胞的研究进展

临床上,各种原因造成的软骨缺损的修复始终是一大难题.组织工程软骨的出现,为软骨大范围缺损的修复与重建带来新的希望.组织工程软骨是由种子细胞、支架材料及生长因子构成的三维空间复合体.由于不同种子细胞的增殖及分化能力不同,选择合适的种子细胞是构建组织工程软骨所要解决的重点及难点.种子细胞在组织工程软骨的构建过程中起到关键作用,因此,探讨软骨种子细胞的来源对组织工程软骨的发展具有重要的意义.     

利用转基因植物合成生物可降解材料聚羟基脂肪酸酯

聚羟基脂肪酸酯 (polyhydroxyalkanoates,PHAs)因其完全的生物可降解性、良好的物理加工特性以及生物相容性使其应用前途十分广泛。本文综述了利用转基因植物合成PHAs的研究概况和存在问题 ,进一步探讨了其解决方法。     

我国率先成功构建人体内软骨组织

国家“973”计划“组织工程的基本科学问题”项目首席科学家 ,上海第二医科大学曹谊林教授日前在接受记者采访时表示 ,在“973”计划、国家自然科学基金等的支持下 ,近年来 ,针对软骨组织工程研究中的国际性难题和关键性问题 ,我国科学家已经在软骨组织工程的基础研究和应用基础研究方面取得了一系列成果 ,并首次在世界上成功地在人体内构建出软骨组织 ,开创了软骨组织工程临床应用的先河。摘自《科学时报》2 0 0 3年 3月 10日我国率先成功构建人体内软骨组织     

工程化骨软骨生理微环境构建方法及研究进展

骨组织工程是通过在体外构建有正常组织功能或疾病生理特点的临床模型,用以药物筛选,或研究疾病发生发展过程。骨骼肌肉系统是载重系统,其功能与组织结构、细胞外基质等密切相关。在构建骨组织体外模型时,需要结合骨、软骨及其他构成成分的生理微环境,表现关节骨软骨接合处的生理特点及作用机制,进而模拟正常及病理状态下骨组织系统对刺激的反应。本综述从骨软骨组织的生理构造入手,阐述了骨软骨连接处在退行性关节病变发生发展过程中的作用,并系统的论述了体外构建三维骨软骨组织的方法及这些方法的优势和局限性,为体外构建骨软骨组织工程在临床上应用提供支持。     

用于软骨修复的组织工程水凝胶

软骨损伤的发病率逐年增高,治疗要求也从过去的缓解疼痛,到现在的恢复运动功能,达到或接近伤前生活质量水平。传统的治疗方式受限于软骨组织特殊的生理病理条件,难以达到良好的远期治疗效果,所以,开发新型有效的治疗方式是软骨组织工程领域的研究热点。要达到良好的软骨修复效果,除了满足必需的生物活性因子与种子细胞要求外,作为载体的水凝胶也至关重要,只有与软骨本身的生物力学特征相似,才能够为软骨再生提供仿生的微环境。为了达到这一要求,已有多种设计方式与结构被应用于软骨组织工程水凝胶的构建,该文从水凝胶结构设计的角度对其在软骨修复组织工程中的应用进行了系统的综述。     

生物技术生产生物可降解塑料PHB的研究进展

本文综述了ＰＨＢ的合成和降解途径及其关键酶的基因克隆,比较了细菌发酵法及遗传吃力菌生产ＰＨＢ的优缺点并讨论了发酵法生产及ＰＨＡｓ的前景。随着近年来植物基因工程的发展,用植物大规模生产生物可降解塑料已成为可能,但然后存在许多障碍,本文进一步探讨了转基因植物生产ＰＨＢ的限制因素和克服方法。     

骨碎补结合组织工程软骨促进软骨再生及其机理研究

目的:评估骨碎补在促进软骨再生治疗中的价值及作用机制。方法:选取健康新西兰大耳白兔100只,采用随机数值表法随机分为5组,每组包含20只实验动物。A、B组:改建后进行肾上腺髓质素(adrenomedullin,ADM)移植;C组:自体骨髓充质干细胞(MSCs)复合,并进行改建ADM移植;D、E组:进行h IGF-1基因转染的MSCs复合,并改建ADM移植。B、C、E组实验动物结合喂养40%骨碎补汤,每只每日150ml,用药4周。A、D组不结合使用口服骨碎补汤。每组均在第4、8、12w时处死5只实验动物,切取关节软骨缺损部位并进行组织学观察,采用Masson三色染色法评估软骨细胞的形态变化,采用Wakitani组织学评分进行各组间形态学比较。结果:E组实验动物关节软骨的表面有比较完整的潮线,大部分比较光滑,变薄区可见零散的浅淡着色的纤维组织。在第4、8、12周,各组Wakitani组织学评分逐渐下降,但结合骨碎补的B、C、E三组下降更为显著(P0.05),说明骨碎补可显著改善软骨组织缺损。结论:采用中药骨碎补结合工程软骨可以显著提高家兔膝关节软骨缺损修复的质量,为临床使用骨碎补治疗软骨病变提供了重要的依据。     

新型旋转壁式生物反应器内三维组织工程骨的构建

利用微载体悬浮培养法将成骨细胞在旋转壁式生物反应器内进行大规模扩增,并检测细胞的组织形态和生物功能.然后以此作为种子细胞,分别以2×10⁶个/ml和1×10⁶个/ml两种密度接种到支架材料上,于旋转壁式生物反应器(RWV)内进行三维组织工程骨的构建.并将所构建的骨组织分别进行倒置显微镜(inverted microscope)、扫描电镜(SEM)、碱性磷酸酶(ALP)、矿化结构和AO/EB双重荧光染色等生物学性能检测,以及对培养过程的营养物质代谢情况进行监控和分析.结果表明,在RWV中培养的骨组织生长良好,分泌大量胶原纤维,并有矿化基质和新骨样组织形成. 由上述结果可断定,通过RWV内部流体对流所产生的应力刺激,可提高成骨细胞碱性磷酸酶的活性表达,并加速矿化结节的形成,从而完成成骨细胞的快速增殖与分化以及工程化组织的三维构建.     

Cell culture in autologous fibrin scaffolds for applications in tissue engineering

In tissue engineering techniques, three-dimensional scaffolds are needed to adjust and guide cell growth and to allow tissue regeneration. The scaffold must be biocompatible, biodegradable and must benefit the interactions between cells and biomaterial. Some natural biomaterials such as fibrin provide a structure similar to the native extracellular matrix containing the cells. Fibrin was first used as a sealant based on pools of commercial fibrinogen. However, the high risk of viral transmission of these pools led to the development of techniques of viral inactivation and elimination and the use of autologous fibrins. In recent decades, fibrin has been used as a release system and three-dimensional scaffold for cell culture. Fibrin scaffolds have been widely used for the culture of different types of cells, and have found several applications in tissue engineering. The structure and development of scaffolds is a key point for cell culture because scaffolds of autologous fibrin offer an important alternative due to their low fibrinogen concentrations, which are more suitable for cell growth.     

Decellularized tissue and cell-derived extracellular matrices as scaffolds for orthopaedic tissue engineering

The reconstruction of musculoskeletal defects is a constant challenge for orthopaedic surgeons. Musculoskeletal injuries such as fractures, chondral lesions, infections and tumor debulking can often lead to large tissue voids requiring reconstruction with tissue grafts. Autografts are currently the gold standard in orthopaedic tissue reconstruction; however, there is a limit to the amount of tissue that can be harvested before compromising the donor site. Tissue engineering strategies using allogeneic or xenogeneic decellularized bone, cartilage, skeletal muscle, tendon and ligament have emerged as promising potential alternative treatment. The extracellular matrix provides a natural scaffold for cell attachment, proliferation and differentiation. Decellularization of in vitro cell-derived matrices can also enable the generation of autologous constructs from tissue specific cells or progenitor cells. Although decellularized bone tissue is widely used clinically in orthopaedic applications, the exciting potential of decellularized cartilage, skeletal muscle, tendon and ligament cell-derived matrices has only recently begun to be explored for ultimate translation to the orthopaedic clinic.     

Composite scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering

Tissue engineering remains a promising therapeutic strategy for the repair or regeneration of diseased or damaged tissues. Previous approaches have typically focused on combining cells and bioactive molecules (e.g., growth factors, cytokines and DNA fragments) with a biomaterial scaffold that functions as a template to control the geometry of the newly formed tissue, while facilitating the attachment, proliferation, and differentiation of embedded cells. Biomaterial scaffolds also play a crucial role in determining the functional properties of engineered tissues, including biomechanical characteristics such as inhomogeneity, anisotropy, nonlinearity or viscoelasticity. While single-phase, homogeneous materials have been used extensively to create numerous types of tissue constructs, there continue to be significant challenges in the development of scaffolds that can provide the functional properties of load-bearing tissues such as articular cartilage. In an attempt to create more complex scaffolds that promote the regeneration of functional engineered tissues, composite scaffolds comprising two or more distinct materials have been developed. This paper reviews various studies on the development and testing of composite scaffolds for the tissue engineering of articular cartilage, using techniques such as embedded fibers and textiles for reinforcement, embedded solid structures, multi-layered designs, or three-dimensionally woven composite materials. In many cases, the use of composite scaffolds can provide unique biomechanical and biological properties for the development of functional tissue engineering scaffolds.     

Mesenchymal progenitor cells derived from chorionic villi of human placenta for cartilage tissue engineering

Human mesenchymal stem cells are currently being studied extensively because of their capability for self-renewal and differentiation to various connective tissues, which makes them attractive as cell sources for regenerative medicine. Herein we report the isolation of human placenta-derived mesenchymal cells (hPDMCs) that have the potential to differentiate into various lineages to explore the possibility of using these cells for regeneration of cartilage. We first evaluated the chondrogenesis of hPDMCs in vitro and then embedded the hPDMCs into an atelocollagen gel to make a cartilage-like tissue with chondrogenic induction media. For in vivo assay, preinduced hPDMCs embedded in collagen sponges were subcutaneously implanted into nude mice and also into nude rats with osteochondral defect. The results of these in vivo and in vitro studies suggested that hPDMCs can be one of the possible allogeneic cell sources for tissue engineering of cartilage.     

Functionalized synthetic biodegradable polymer scaffolds for tissue engineering

Scaffolds (artificial ECMs) play a pivotal role in the process of regenerating tissues in 3D. Biodegradable synthetic polymers are the most widely used scaffolding materials. However, synthetic polymers usually lack the biological cues found in the natural extracellular matrix. Significant efforts have been made to synthesize biodegradable polymers with functional groups that are used to couple bioactive agents. Presenting bioactive agents on scaffolding surfaces is the most efficient way to elicit desired cell/material interactions. This paper reviews recent advancements in the development of functionalized biodegradable polymer scaffolds for tissue engineering, emphasizing the syntheses of functional biodegradable polymers, and surface modification of polymeric scaffolds.     

Cryogenic 3D printing for tissue engineering

We describe a new cryogenic 3D printing technology for freezing hydrogels, with a potential impact to tissue engineering. We show that complex frozen hydrogel structures can be generated when the 3D object is printed immersed in a liquid coolant (liquid nitrogen), whose upper surface is maintained at the same level as the highest deposited layer of the object. This novel approach ensures that the process of freezing is controlled precisely, and that already printed frozen layers remain at a constant temperature. We describe the device and present results which illustrate the potential of the new technology.     

Finite element method (FEM), mechanobiology and biomimetic scaffolds in bone tissue engineering

Techniques of bone reconstructive surgery are largely based on conventional, non-cell-based therapies that rely on the use of durable materials from outside the patient's body. In contrast to conventional materials, bone tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field that applies the principles of engineering and life sciences towards the development of biological substitutes that restore, maintain, or improve bone tissue function. Bone tissue engineering has led to great expectations for clinical surgery or various diseases that cannot be solved with traditional devices. For example, critical-sized defects in bone, whether induced by primary tumor resection, trauma, or selective surgery have in many cases presented insurmountable challenges to the current gold standard treatment for bone repair. The primary purpose of bone tissue engineering is to apply engineering principles to incite and promote the natural healing process of bone which does not occur in critical-sized defects. The total market for bone tissue regeneration and repair was valued at $1.1 billion in 2007 and is projected to increase to nearly $1.6 billion by 2014.Usually, temporary biomimetic scaffolds are utilized for accommodating cell growth and bone tissue genesis. The scaffold has to promote biological processes such as the production of extra-cellular matrix and vascularisation, furthermore the scaffold has to withstand the mechanical loads acting on it and to transfer them to the natural tissues located in the vicinity. The design of a scaffold for the guided regeneration of a bony tissue requires a multidisciplinary approach. Finite element method and mechanobiology can be used in an integrated approach to find the optimal parameters governing bone scaffold performance.In this paper, a review of the studies that through a combined use of finite element method and mechano-regulation algorithms described the possible patterns of tissue differentiation in biomimetic scaffolds for bone tissue engineering is given. Firstly, the generalities of the finite element method of structural analysis are outlined; second, the issues related to the generation of a finite element model of a given anatomical site or of a bone scaffold are discussed; thirdly, the principles on which mechanobiology is based, the principal theories as well as the main applications of mechano-regulation models in bone tissue engineering are described; finally, the limitations of the mechanobiological models and the future perspectives are indicated.     

Recent progress in cartilage tissue engineering

Despite over two decades of research on cartilage tissue engineering, very few products have moved from bench to bedside and effective therapy remains lacking. This review discusses recent progress in developing novel strategies for engineering cartilage tissues with long-term functionality. Specifically we focus on the following aspects including identifying promising cell sources, designing 3D scaffolds with dynamic and spatially patterned cues to guide desired cellular processes, mimicking zonal organization, integrating with host tissue, and monitoring cell fate and tissue regeneration in situ.     

Nanomaterial scaffolds for stem cell proliferation and differentiation in tissue engineering

Tissue engineering is a clinically driven field and has emerged as a potential alternative to organ transplantation. The cornerstone of successful tissue engineering rests upon two essential elements: cells and scaffolds. Recently, it was found that stem cells have unique capabilities of self-renewal and multilineage differentiation to serve as a versatile cell source, while nanomaterials have lately emerged as promising candidates in producing scaffolds able to better mimic the nanostructure in natural extracellular matrix and to efficiently replace defective tissues. This article, therefore, reviews the key developments in tissue engineering, where the combination of stem cells and nanomaterial scaffolds has been utilized over the past several years. We consider the high potential, as well as the main issues related to the application of stem cells and nanomaterial scaffolds for a range of tissues including bone, cartilage, nerve, liver, eye etc. Promising in vitro results such as efficient attachment, proliferation and differentiation of stem cells have been compiled in a series of examples involving different nanomaterials. Furthermore, the merits of the marriage of stem cells and nanomaterial scaffolds are also demonstrated in vivo, providing early successes to support subsequent clinical investigations. This progress simultaneously drives mechanistic research into the mechanotransduction process responsible for the observations in order to optimize the process further. Current understanding is chiefly reported to involve the interaction of stem cells and the anchoring nanomaterial scaffolds by activating various signaling pathways. Substrate surface characteristics and scaffold bulk properties are also reported to influence not only short term stem cell adhesion, spreading and proliferation, but also longer term lineage differentiation, functionalization and viability. It is expected that the combination of stem cells and nanomaterials will develop into an important tool in tissue engineering for the innovative treatment of many diseases.     

Anatomically shaped osteochondral constructs for articular cartilage repair

Few successful treatment modalities exist for surface-wide, full-thickness lesions of articular cartilage. Functional tissue engineering offers a great potential for the clinical management of such lesions. Our long-term hypothesis is that anatomically shaped tissue constructs of entire articular layers can be engineered in vitro on a bony substrate, for subsequent implantation. To determine the feasibility, this study investigated the development of bilayered scaffolds of chondrocyte-seeded agarose on natural trabecular bone. In a series of three experiments, bovine chondrocytes were seeded in (1) cylindrical bilayered constructs of agarose and bovine trabecular bone, 0.53 cm² in surface area and 3.2 mm thick, and were cultured for up to 6 weeks; (2) chondrocyte-seeded anatomically shaped agarose constructs reproducing the human patellar articular layer (area=11.7 cm², mean THICKNESS=3.4 mm), cultured for up to 6 weeks; and (3) chondrocyte-seeded anatomically shaped agarose constructs of the patella (same as above) integrated into a corresponding anatomically shaped trabecular bone substrate, cultured for up to 2 weeks. Articular layer geometry, previously acquired from human cadaver joints, was used in conjunction with computer-aided design and manufacturing technology to create these anatomically accurate molds. In all experiments, chondrocytes remained viable over the entire culture period, with the agarose maintaining its shape while remaining firmly attached to the underlying bony substrate (when present). With culture time, the constructs exhibited positive type II collagen staining as well as increased matrix elaboration (Safranin O staining for glycosaminoglycans) and material properties (Young's modulus and aggregate modulus). Despite the use of relatively large agarose constructs partially integrated with trabecular bone, no adverse diffusion limitation effects were observed. Anatomically shaped constructs on a bony substrate may represent a new paradigm in the design of a functional articular cartilage tissue replacement.