3D-printed, structurally stable, polylactide-cartilage-implants for an individualized replacement of cartilaginous defects

Introduction

Cartilage deficiency has clinical relevance in the form of septal perforations, malignancy-related or traumatic tissue defects. The limited amount of available nasal cartilage as well as its bradytrophy present evident challenges for surgical reconstruction. Moreover, the use of auricular or costal cartilage grafts is associated with secondary defects and structural limitations of heterotopic grafts.

The aim of this study was to print structurally stable, customizable implants which can subsequently be colonized with human chondrocytes to substitute a deficit of cartilage in clinical practice.

Methods

Chondrocytes were isolated from septal cartilage, amplified in culture medium and seeded onto 3D-printed polylactide scaffolds (300,000 cells). Scaffolds were printed with a grid spacing of 100, 200 or 300µm. Growth and proliferation on the scaffold were evaluated by fluorescence microscopy and quantification of cell metabolism. In addition, the influence of growth/differentiation factors (TGF-ß1, IGF-1, bFGF, ascorbic acid) was evaluated in cell culture as well as for chondrocytes growing on the scaffolds.

Results

The scaffold structure allows the production of individually adapted 3D implants. Isolation, amplification and transfer of chondrocytes derived from septal cartilage onto polylactide scaffolds proved to be successful. Cellular metabolism increased correlatively with an increasing lattice spacing within the scaffold structure. Under the influence of growth factors however, the proliferation rate as well as the cell metabolism was reduced compared to the cohort without growth factors.

Conclusions

Further investigations will evaluate the influence of scaffold design as well as specific growth factors on cell differentiation and the production hyaline matrix.

Das Projekt wurde mit 12.000€ durch die intramurale Förderinitiative BiomaTiCS von der Universitätsmedizin Mainz gefördert.

Publication History

Article published online:
24 May 2022