The influence of cyclic tensile strain on multi-compartment collagen-GAG scaffolds for tendon-bone junction repair.

The influence of cyclic tensile strain on multi-compartment collagen-GAG scaffolds for tendon-bone junction repair. Connect Tissue Res. 2019 Apr 22;:1-14 Authors: Grier WK, Sun Han Chang RA, Ramsey MD, Harley BAC Abstract BACKGROUND: Orthopedic injuries often occur at the interface between soft tissues and bone. The tendon-bone junction (TBJ) is a classic example of such an interface. Current clinical strategies for TBJ injuries prioritize mechanical reattachment over regeneration of the native interface, resulting in poor outcomes. The need to promote regenerative healing of spatially-graded tissues inspires our effort to develop new tissue engineering technologies that replicate features of the spatially-graded extracellular matrix and strain profiles across the native TBJ. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recently described a biphasic collagen-glycosaminoglycan (CG) scaffold containing distinct compartment with divergent mineral content and structural alignment (isotropic vs. anisotropic) linked by a continuous interface zone to mimic structural and compositional features of the native TBJ. RESULTS: Here, we report application of cyclic tensile strain (CTS) to the scaffold via a bioreactor leads to non-uniform strain profiles across the spatially-graded scaffold. Further, combinations of CTS and matrix structural features promote rapid, spatially-distinct differentiation profiles of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal s...
Source: Connective Tissue Research - Category: Research Tags: Connect Tissue Res Source Type: research