Tissue engineering of human knee meniscus using functionalized and reinforced silk‐polyvinyl alcohol composite three‐dimensional scaffolds: Understanding the in vitro and in vivo behavior

Abstract

Tissue engineered constructs with rapid restoration of mechanical and biological properties remain a challenge, emphasizing the need to develop novel scaffolds. Here, we present a multicomponent composite three-dimensional scaffold structure with biomimetic reinforcement and biomolecule functionalization for meniscus tissue engineering. The scaffold structure was developed using 3:1 silk fibroin (SF) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Autoclaved eggshell membrane (AESM) powder (1-3%w/v) was used as reinforcement to enhance biomechanical properties. Further to improve cell attachment and proliferation, these scaffolds were functionalized using an optimized unique combination of biomolecules. Comprehensive analysis of scaffolds was carried out on morphological, structural, mechanical and biological functionalities. Their mechanical properties were compared with different native human menisci. The results indicated that, functionalized SF-PVA with 3%AESM has shown similar order of magnitude of compressive and dynamic mechanical properties as in human meniscus. Moreover, 3% AESM based scaffolds were found to support better primary human meniscal cellular proliferation and extracellular matrix secretion. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed angiogenesis and biocompatibility with minimal inflammatory response for subcutaneously implanted scaffolds in New Zealand white rabbits. The developed reinforced and functionalized SF-PVA scaffolds can uniquely combine the potential for load-bearing properties with improved in vitro and in vivo support for meniscus tissue regeneration. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 1722-1731, 2018.

Are the Biological and Biomechanical Properties of Meniscal Scaffolds Reflected in Clinical Practice? A Systematic Review of the Literature

“…One example is silk fibroin from silk worms, with seemingly improved biocompatibility and mechanical properties in comparison to non-biological polymers and increased similarity to the native meniscus [48,49,50]. A composite 3:1 ratio of silk fibroin and polyvinyl alcohol was shown to have good tissue ingrowth and ECM secretion in vitro, as well as being nontoxic in vivo [51]. Hydrogels also have important potential and have been shown to promote higher levels of ECM secretion than polycaprolactone alone.…”

Electrospun polylactic acid/date palm polyphenol extract nanofibres for tissue engineering applications

“…Along with other biodegradable polymers such as polycaprolactone (PCL) [6] and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the most exploited scaffold material for TE applications [7,8]. Recent investigations on PLA scaffolds have focused on the optimization of their cell adhesion properties [9].…”

High-Throughput Preparation of Silk Fibroin Nanofibers by Modified Bubble-Electrospinning

“…Silk fibroin (SF), a kind of natural protein derived from silkworm cocoons, is a widely used as one of the most popular materials for biomedical applications due to its distinct biological properties [ 1 , 2 ], such as good biocompatibility, biodegradability, good cell adhesion and non-toxicity [ 3 , 4 ]. In recent years, many researches have shown that SF biomaterials can be applied widely in tissue engineering scaffolds [ 5 , 6 ], blood vessel tissue engineering [ 7 ], bone tissue engineering [ 8 ], drug delivery systems, and so on [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Through being dissolved and purified, SF obtained from degummed silk can be used to prepare a variety of biomaterials, such as membranes, gels and fibers.…”