Cartilage extracellular matrix as a biomaterial for cartilage regeneration

Abstract

The extracellular matrix (ECM) of various tissues possesses the model characteristics that biomaterials for tissue engineering strive to mimic; however, owing to the intricate hierarchical nature of the ECM, it has yet to be fully characterized and synthetically fabricated. Cartilage repair remains a challenge because the intrinsic properties that enable its durability and long-lasting function also impede regeneration. In the last decade, cartilage ECM has emerged as a promising biomaterial for regenerating cartilage, partly because of its potentially chondroinductive nature. As this research area of cartilage matrix-based biomaterials emerged, investigators facing similar challenges consequently developed convergent solutions in constructing robust and bioactive scaffolds. This review discusses the challenges, emerging trends, and future directions of cartilage ECM scaffolds, including a comparison between two different forms of cartilage matrix: decellularized cartilage (DCC) and devitalized cartilage (DVC). To overcome the low permeability of cartilage matrix, physical fragmentation greatly enhances decellularization, although the process itself may reduce the chondroinductivity of fabricated scaffolds. The less complex processing of a scaffold composed of DVC, which has not been decellularized, appears to have translational advantages and potential chondroinductive and mechanical advantages over DCC, without detrimental immunogenicity, to ultimately enhance cartilage repair in a clinically relevant way.

Silk fibroin/cartilage extracellular matrix scaffolds with sequential delivery of TGF-β3 for chondrogenic differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells

“…The differentiation and proliferation of ADSCs strengthened the compressive elastic moduli of scaffolds ( Figure 8B). Our results agree with previous studies showing that accumulated GAG and collagen content can improve the biomechanical property of scaffolds 3,41 and ADSCs seeded onto scaffolds can easily be differentiated into chondrocytes and induced to form new cartilage tissue with the addition of TGF-β3 ( Figure 5). of cartilage, the presence of these constituents can affect the secretion of GAG and collagen.…”

A silk fibroin/decellularized extract of Wharton’s jelly hydrogel intended for cartilage tissue engineering

“…Due to these appropriate characteristics, there is a significant interest for using tissue decellularization to provide ECM-based scaffolds (Choi et al 2012; Costa et al 2007; Hellström et al 2014; Kiyotake et al 2016; Law et al 2016). …”

Glycol chitosan/oxidized hyaluronic acid hydrogels functionalized with cartilage extracellular matrix particles and incorporating BMSCs for cartilage repair

“…Cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM), a specific mixture of substances secreted by the resident cells in cartilage, has emerged as an attractive biomaterial for cartilage regeneration. ECM contains the relevant bioactive factors and contributes to cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation [28,29]. Several studies have revealed that cartilage ECM can enhance chondrogenic differentiation of stem cells [10,30,31].…”