In Vitro Suitability Of Potential Scaffolds For Musculoskeletal Regenerative Medicine

Abstract

IN VITRO SUITABILITY OF POTENTIAL SCAFFOLDS FOR MUSCULOSKELETAL REGENERATIVE MEDICINE D Musson1*, B Matthews1, V Terreni2, K Callon1, D Naot1, J Cornish1 1 Department of Medicine, University of Auckland, New Zealand. 2 Department of Molecular Biology, University of Siena, Italy. Injuries to bone and tendons can cause major morbidity in healthy, active people. Providing a scaffold that encourages appropriate cell attachment, growth, and ultimately tissue regeneration could improve the clinical outcomes from injuries such as rotator cuff tears and non-union fractures. We have tested several scaffold materials of both natural and synthetic origin to evaluate their potential utility in musculoskeletal regenerative medicine. Four different scaffolds were evaluated as biomaterials: Endoform® (Mesynthes, NZ), a decellularized ovine forestomach matrix, Spidrex 543 (Oxford Biomaterials Ltd, UK), a spider-like silk fabric, 3D collagen gels and FiberWire® (Athrex. Inc, US), a synthetic, commercially available, polyethylene and polyester composite suture currently utilised in orthopaedic surgery. Attachment and growth of primary osteoblasts and tenocytes were analyzed using live-dead and alamar blue fluorescence. Morphological phenotype was assessed using confocal microscopy and cell differentiation was evaluated by differential gene expression. Osteoblasts and tenocytes both successfully adhered to and grew on the Endoform, the silk and within the 3D collagen gels; while gene analysis and morphology suggest cells retain their phenotype when grown on these potential scaffolds. Notably, gene expression of key osteoblastic markers alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and bone sialoprotein were increased 33-, 240- and 34-fold, respectively, in osteoblasts cultured within 3D collagen gels for 72hrs (P≤0.05). However, the orthopaedic suture material proved unsuitable for cell attachment. We have identified a number of scaffold biomaterials that show potential for use in bone and tendon regeneration. More testing is required to determine if they support appropriate tissue formation.