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3D Bioprinted Integrated Osteochondral Scaffold-Mediated Repair of Articular Cartilage Defects in the Rabbit Knee

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Abstract

Objective

To demonstrate that a 3D-bioprinted integrated osteochondral scaffold can provide improved repair of articular cartilage defects in the rabbit knee compared to that reported for traditional tissue-engineering methods.

Results

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were differentiated into osteoblasts and chondrocytes as seed cells and mixed with the corresponding bone and cartilage scaffold materials. An integrated osteochondral biphasic scaffold was fabricated via 3D-bioprinting technology through successive natural overlays of the printed material and used to repair full-thickness articular cartilage defects in the rabbit knee. Histological and biomechanical assessment of repaired tissue at 6 months post-transplantation showed almost complete repair of injured articular surfaces and presence of hyaline cartilage. A boundary existed between the transition and repair zones. The Wakitani histological score was 5.50 ± 2.07 points; maximum load was 183.11 ± 35.20 N. Repaired cartilage was integrated firmly with the subchondral bone and almost assimilated with surrounding cartilage and bone tissues.

Conclusion

The 3D bioprinted integrated osteochondral scaffold achieved double bionic effects on the scaffold composition and structure, and it is expected to offer a new strategy for articular cartilage repair and regeneration.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province of China (Nos. LY18H180010, LY17H060011, and LY17H280008), grants from the Zhejiang Provincial Medical Science and Technology Plan Project of China (Nos. 2015KYB092, 2017KY307, 2017KY299, 2017KY303, and 2019KY364), and grants from Zhejiang Provincial Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Plan Project of China (Nos. 2016ZA044, 2015ZA045, and 2018ZA017).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Bioengineering, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences, 182 Tian Mu Shan Road, Hangzhou, 310013, Zhejiang Province, China

    Yadong Yang, Geng Yang, Yongfei Song, Yimeng Xu, Siyu Zhao & Wenyuan Zhang

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  1. Yadong Yang
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  2. Geng Yang
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  3. Yongfei Song
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Correspondence to Wenyuan Zhang.

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Yang, Y., Yang, G., Song, Y. et al. 3D Bioprinted Integrated Osteochondral Scaffold-Mediated Repair of Articular Cartilage Defects in the Rabbit Knee. J. Med. Biol. Eng. 40, 71–81 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40846-019-00481-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40846-019-00481-y

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