Fabrication of a novel 3D scaffold for cartilage tissue repair: In-vitro and in-vivo study

Self-repairing is not an advanced ability of articular cartilage. Tissue engineering has provided a novel way for reconstructing cartilage using natural polymers because of their biocompatibility and bio-functionality. The purpose of cartilage tissue engineering is to design a scaffold with proper pore structure and similar biological and mechanical properties to the native tissue. In this study, porous scaffolds prepared from gelatin, chitosan and silk fibroin were blended with varying ratios. Between the blends of chitosan (C), gelatin (G) and silk fibroin (S), the scaffold with the weight per volume ratio of 2:2:3 ( w / v ) showed the most favorable and higher certain properties than the other blends. The CGS 2:2:3 scaffold showed the best pore size that is between 100 μm and 300 μm. The water absorption and degradation rate of the CGS 2:2:3 scaffold were found suitable for cartilage tissue engineering. Cell culture study using human chondrocytes showed good cell adhesion and proliferation. To further study the effect of this scaffold on the living tissue, 36 rabbits were randomly assigned to CGS 2:2:3 scaffold with and without seeded chondrocytes and control groups. Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E), Masson's trichrome (MT), and safranin O (SO) staining showed 65 ± 9.1% new cartilage tissue present in the defect filled with cell-seeded scaffold and most of the cartilaginous tissue was hyaline cartilage, while the control group showed no new cartilage tissue. • Silk fibroin, gelatin, and chitosan blend scaffold was fabricated for cartilage tissue engineering. • Incorporation of silk fibroin significantly improved the compressive mechanical properties of the blend scaffold. • Chondrocyte cells survived, adhered, and proliferated on the blend scaffold. • The blend scaffold promoted new cartilage formation in defected rabbit knee articular cartilage.