Abstract
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel has gained interest in cartilage repair because of its highly swollen, porosity, and viscoelastic properties. However, PVA has some deficiencies, such as its poor biocompatibility and microstructure. This research aimed to design novel hydroxyapatite (HA)-collagen (COL)-PVA hydrogels. COL was added to improve cell biocompatibility, and the microstructure of the hydrogels was controlled by fused deposition modeling (FDM). The feasibility of the COL-HA-PVA hydrogels in cartilage repair was evaluated by in vitro and in vivo experiments. The scanning electron microscopy results showed that the hybrid hydrogels had interconnected macropore structures that contained a COL reticular scaffold. The diameter of the macropore was 1.08–1.85 mm, which corresponds to the diameter of the denatured PVA column. The chondrocytes were then seeded in hydrogels to assess the cell viability and formation of the cartilage matrix. The in vitro results revealed excellent cellular biocompatibility. Osteochondral defects (8 mm in diameter and 8 mm in depth) were created in the femoral trochlear of goats, and the defects were implanted with cell-seeded hydrogels, cell-free hydrogels, or a blank control. The in vivo results showed that the COL-HA-PVA hydrogels effectively repaired cartilage defects, especially the conditions inoculated with chondrocyte in advance. This research suggests that the COL-HA-PVA hydrogels have promising application in cartilage repair.
Highlights
Cartilage injury has become a major public health problem because of the aging population and an increase in accident injuries [1,2,3]
Using fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) powder was melted in the printing head, and the thermoplastic PVA was arranged with a specific protocol, which contributes to the formation of the denatured PVA mold
The main part of the hybrid hydrogels was formed by the HAPVA hydrogel, and COL microscaffolds were formed in the macropores of the hydrogel, which allowed for cell adhesion and integration with peripheral native cartilage
Summary
Cartilage injury has become a major public health problem because of the aging population and an increase in accident injuries [1,2,3]. Numerous studies have demonstrated that hydrogels, such as a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel, have potential as repair materials because of their ability to swell, porosity, and viscoelastic properties [9,10,11,12]. The poor biocompatibility and limited mechanical property of a pure PVA hydrogel restrict its further application [13, 14]. Previous studies have indicated that hydroxyapatite (HA) and collagen (COL) can be added to a PVA hydrogel to improve the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of the hydrogel [15, 16]. Our previous research indicated that the mechanics of a novel modified HA/PVA hydrogel were similar to those of native cartilage [19]
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