Hydrophilic Gelatin and Hyaluronic Acid-Treated PLGA Scaffolds for Cartilage Tissue Engineering

Tissue engineering provides a new strategy for repairing damaged cartilage. Surface and mechanical properties of scaffolds play important roles in inducing cell growth. Aim The aim of this study was to fabricate and characterize PLGA and gelatin/hyaluronic acid-treated PLGA (PLGA-GH) sponge scaffolds for articular cartilage tissue engineering. Methods The PLGA-GH scaffolds were cross-linked with gelatin and hyaluronic acid. Primary chondrocytes isolated from porcine articular cartilages were used to assess cell compatibility. The characteristic PLGA-GH scaffold was higher in water uptake ratio and degradation rate within 42 days than the PLGA scaffold. Results The mean compressive moduli of PLGA and PLGA-GH scaffolds were 1.72±0.50 MPa and 1.86±0.90 MPa, respectively. The cell attachment ratio, proliferation, and extracellular matrix secretion on PLGA-GH scaffolds are superior to those of PLGA scaffolds. Conclusions In our study, PLGA-GH scaffolds exhibited improvements in cell biocompatibility, cell proliferation, extracellular matrix synthesis, and appropriate mechanical and structural properties for potential engineering cartilage applications.