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Effects of bionic mechanical stimulation on the properties of engineered cartilage tissue

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Abstract

Tissue-engineered cartilage (TEC) remains a potential alternative for the repair of articular cartilage defects. However, there has been a significant different between the properties of TEC and those of natural cartilage. Studies have shown that mechanical stimulation such as compressive load can help regulate matrix remodelling in TEC, thus affecting its biomechanical properties. However, the influences of shear induced from the tissue fluid phase have not been well studied and may play an important role in tissue regeneration especially when integrated with the compressive load. Therefore, the aim of this study was to quantitatively investigate the effects of combined loading mechanisms on TEC in vitro. A bespoke biosimulator was built to incorporate the coupled motion of compression, friction and shear. The specimens, encapsulating freshly isolated rabbit chondrocytes in a hydrogel, were cultured within the biosimulator under various mechanical stimulations for 4 weeks, and the tissue activity, matrix contents and the mechanical properties were examined. Study groups were categorized according to different mechanical stimulation combinations, including strain (5–20% at 5% intervals) and frequency (0.25 Hz, 0.5 Hz, 1 Hz), and the effects on tissue behaviour were investigated. During the dynamic culture process, a combined load was applied to simulate the combined effects of compression, friction and shear on articular cartilage during human movement. The results indicated that a larger strain and higher frequency were more favourable for the specimen in terms of the cell proliferation and extracellular matrix synthesis. Moreover, the combined mechanical stimulation was more beneficial to matrix remodelling than the single loading motion. However, the contribution of the combined mechanical stimulation to the engineered cartilaginous tissue matrix was not sufficient to impede biodegradation of the tissue with culture time.

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Acknowledgements

The work was supported by National Key R&D Program of China [2018YFE0207900], Key R&D Program of Guangdong Province [2018B090906001], the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities and the Youth Innovation Team of Shaanxi Universities and the EU via the H2020-MSCA-RISE-2016 program [734156].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710054, Shaanxi, China

    Zhiyan Hao, Sen Wang, Jichang Nie, Dichen Li, Ao Fang & Ling Wang

  2. School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710054, Shaanxi, China

    Zhiyan Hao, Sen Wang, Jichang Nie, Dichen Li, Ao Fang & Ling Wang

  3. Jihua Laboratory, Foshan, 528200, Guangdong, China

    Jianfeng Kang

  4. Institute of Orthopaedic and Musculoskeletal Science, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, University College London, Stanmore, HA7 4LP, UK

    Chaozong Liu

Authors
  1. Zhiyan Hao
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  2. Sen Wang
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  3. Jichang Nie
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  4. Dichen Li
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  7. Chaozong Liu
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  8. Ling Wang
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Contributions

ZH participated in the study design, experimental research, data analysis, writing and editing of the manuscript. SW, AF and JK performed the experimental research and data analysis. JN performed the experimental research, the study design and data analysis. DL and CL performed writing and editing of the manuscript. LW performed the study design, writing and editing of the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript and, therefore, have full access to all the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity and security of the data.

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Correspondence to Ling Wang.

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This research has been approved by the Animal Management Committee of Xi’an Jiaotong University.

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Hao, Z., Wang, S., Nie, J. et al. Effects of bionic mechanical stimulation on the properties of engineered cartilage tissue. Bio-des. Manuf. 4, 33–43 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42242-020-00090-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42242-020-00090-8

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