Polymeric nanofiber scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering

This technology is a bioactive, electrospun fibrous polymeric scaffold designed to enhance cartilage repair by promoting chondrocyte growth, matrix deposition, and graft integration in orthopedic and regenerative medicine applications.

Unmet Need: Robust method for stimulating integration between host and grafted cartilage

Current treatments for cartilage damage, such as microfracture surgery or autologous chondrocyte implantation, often result in incomplete healing or the formation of biomechanically inferior fibrocartilage. These approaches lack the ability to fully restore native cartilage structure and function, leading to limited long-term durability and joint degeneration, primarily due to the zone of chondrocyte death, a dense region of necrosed cells lining the periphery of the wound edge in cartilage autografts and damaged host tissue. There is a critical need for solutions that better support cell viability, matrix production, and integration with surrounding tissue. Addressing these shortcomings is essential to improve patient outcomes and reduce the progression to osteoarthritis or the need for joint replacement.

The Technology: Graphite-containing scaffold that mimics cartilage electroactivity for improved cell adhesion

The technology utilizes a fibrous polymeric scaffold designed to promote cartilage repair by creating an environment conducive to chondrocyte proliferation and extracellular matrix deposition. The scaffold incorporates electroactive properties through the inclusion of graphite particles, which mimic the electroactivity of native cartilage and aid in mechano-transduction, helping cells respond to mechanical stimuli. Additionally, the scaffold’s surface is optimized to attract cell adhesion proteins, improving cell attachment and enhancing integration with surrounding tissue. Its architecture also supports the growth of cartilage-like tissue, promoting better structural repair in areas of damage or degeneration. Prototyping and testing have shown that the scaffold can effectively encourage chondrocyte growth and collagen production, demonstrating its potential for use in cartilage grafts and tissue engineering applications.

Applications:

• Cartilage grafts
• Musculoskeletal tissue engineering
• Cell adhesion matrix development
• In vitro stem cell differentiation platform
• Repair of articular cartilage defects
• Osteochondral repair
• Treatment of chondral injuries (e.g. sports medicine)
• Regenerative scaffold for tissue engineering
• Support for chondrocyte transplantation
• Biodegradable implant for joint preservation surgeries
• Integration into 3D bioprinted constructs

Advantages:

• Mimics the native electroactivity of cartilage
• Enhances chondrocyte proliferation
• Encourages dose-dependent collagen production
• Improved adhesion between scaffold and cells compared to prior methods
• May assist in chondrocyte repopulation within the injured region
• Facilitates cartilage graft integration
• Provides electroactivity for mechano-transduction
• Improves glycosaminoglycan deposition
• Enhances collagen production
• Features unaligned nanofiber arrangement, mimicking the natural architecture of cartilage tissue

Lead Inventor:

Helen Lu, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Pending (US20220331490)

Related Publications:

• Mosher CZ, Spalazzi JP, Lu HH. “Stratified scaffold design for engineering composite tissues.” Methods. 2015 Aug; 84: 99-102.

• Qu D, Mosher CZ, Boushell MK, Lu HH. “Engineering complex orthopaedic tissues via strategic biomimicry.” Annals of biomedical engineering. 2015 Mar 1; 43(3): 697-717.

Tech Ventures Reference:

• IR CU19168, CU19028

• Licensing Contact: Joan Martinez