Abstract
A novel design of silk-based scaffold is developed using a custom-made winding machine, with fiber alignment resembling the anatomical criss-cross lamellar fibrous orientation features of the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc. Crosslinking of silk fibroin fibers with chondroitin sulphate (CS) was introduced to impart superior biological functionality. The scaffolds, with or without CS, instructed alignment of expanded human chondrocytes and of the deposited extracellular matrix while supporting their chondrogenic redifferentiation. The presence of CS crosslinking could not induce statistically significant changes in the measured collagen or glycosaminoglycan content, but resulted in an increased construct stiffness. By offering the combined effect of cell/matrix alignment and chondrogenic support, the silk fibroin scaffolds developed with precise fiber orientation in lamellar form represent a suitable substrate for tissue engineering of the annulus fibrosus part of the intervertebral disc.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
