Towards the Development of a Cartilage-like Nanofiber-Hydrogel Composite
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MRS Advances © 2020 Materials Research Society DOI: 10.1557/adv.2020.188
Towards the Development of a Cartilage-like Nanofiber-Hydrogel Composite Jacob M. Ludwick1 and Michelle L. Oyen1 1
Department of Engineering, East Carolina University, E 5 th St. Greenville, NC 27858, U.S.A
ABSTRACT
Articular cartilage plays an important role in synovial joint function, but this function is diminished when cartilage tissue breaks down in osteoarthritis. Tissue engineering is a promising approach for replacing failed cartilage, as cartilage is a relatively simple tissue with no blood supply and very few biological cells. To imitate the structure of natural cartilage extracellular matrix material, three components must be included: the hydrated ground substance, the charges that contribute to compressive stiffness via electrostatic repulsion, and the nanofibrous collagen network that resists tensile deformation and failure. Here, the nanofiber network is considered, with examination of its fracture behavior in an aselectrospun state and following a mild chemical crosslinking process. Mode III fracture testing was used to quantify the tear toughness of the fibrous mats, and failure behavior was qualitatively examined with scanning electron microscopy. In ongoing work, this nanofibrous structure will be combined with a charged polyelectrolyte hydrogel gel to create a biomimetic cartilage-like material. By using biomimicry to replicate what is present in native cartilage tissue, a superior material can be designed and fabricated for use in tissue repair and replacement.
INTRODUCTION: In the United States, osteoarthritis is the leading cause of disability, affecting 53 million Americans. This contributed $140 billion to Medicare costs in 2013 and accounted for $164 billion in lost wages [1]. Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by a partial—or in severe cases, complete—loss of function of the articular cartilage tissue in one or more joints, with a disproportionate impact from knee and hip OA. Current medical approaches for OA and cartilage degradation include attempted repair of damaged cartilage or complete replacement of the joint. Joint replacement is largely successful but the implants have a limited functional life of about 20 years, due to issues
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with stress shielding of bone given the large elastic modulus of metal implants compared with native bone tissue [2,3]. In an aging population with an increasing life span, this can lead to a secondary revision or even tertiary surgery to last the full life of the patient. Cartilage repair procedures, such as autologous chondrocyte transplantation and microfracture repair, attempt to restore function to the joint by either replacing the damaged tissue’s biological cells or by stimulating the repair of the tissue from the underlying subch
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