Fabrication of PU/PEGMA crosslinked hybrid scaffolds by in situ UV photopolymerization favoring human endothelial cells growth for vascular tissue engineering

Poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA) was introduced into a polyurethane (PU) solution in order to prepare electrospun scaffold with improving the biocompatibility by electrospinning technology for potential application as small diameter vascular scaffolds. Crosslinked electrospun PU/PEGMA hybrid nanofibers were fabricated by a reactive electrospinning process with N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide as crosslinker and benzophenone as photoinitiator. The photoinduced polymerization and crosslinking reaction took place simultaneously during the electrospinning process. The electrospinning solutions with various weight ratios of PU/PEGMA were successfully electrospun. No significant difference in the scaffold morphology was found by SEM when PEGMA content was <20 wt%. The crosslinked fibrous scaffolds of PU/PEGMA exhibited higher mechanical strength than the pure PU scaffold. The hydrophilicity of scaffolds was controlled by varying the PU/PEGMA weight ratio. The tissue compatibility of electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds were tested using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Cell morphology and cell proliferation were measured by SEM, fluorescence microscopy and thiazolyl blue assay (MTT) after 1, 3, 7 days of culture. The results indicated that the cell morphology and proliferation on the crosslinked PU/PEGMA scaffolds were better than that on the pure PU scaffold. Furthermore, the appropriate hydrophilic surface with water contact angle in the range of 55-75° was favorable of improvement the HUVECs adhesion and proliferation. Cells seeded on the crosslinked PU/PEGMA (80/20) scaffolds infiltrated into the scaffolds after 7 days of growth. These results indicated the crosslinked electrospun PU/PEGMA nanofibrous scaffolds were potential substitutes for artificial vascular scaffolds.     

Investigations on the in vitro bioactivity of swift heavy oxygen ion irradiated hydroxyapatite

Poly(propylene fumarate) (PPF) is an ultraviolet-curable and biodegradable polymer with potential applications for bone regeneration. In this study, we designed and fabricated three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds based on a PPF polymer network using micro-stereolithography (MSTL). The 3D scaffold was well fabricated with a highly interconnected porous structure and porosity of 65%. These results provide a new scaffold fabrication method for tissue engineering. Surface modification is a commonly used and effective method for improving the surface characteristics of biomaterials without altering their bulk properties that avoids the expense and long time associated with the development of new biomaterials. Therefore, we examined surface modification of 3D scaffolds by applying accelerated biomimetic apatite and arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptide coating to promote cell behavior. The apatite coating uniformly covered the scaffold surface after immersion for 24 h in 5-fold simulated body fluid (5SBF) and then the RGD peptide was applied. Finally, the coated 3D scaffolds were seeded with MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts and their biologic properties were evaluated using an MTS assay and histologic staining. We found that 3D PPF/diethyl fumarate (DEF) scaffolds fabricated with MSTL and biomimetic apatite coating can be potentially used in bone tissue engineering.     

Miniaturization of EISCAP sensor for triglyceride detection

Designing a three-dimensional (3-D) ideal scaffold has been one of the main goals in biomaterials and tissue engineering, and various mechanical techniques have been applied to fabricate biomedical scaffolds used for soft and hard tissue regeneration. Scaffolds should be biodegradable and biocompatible, provide temporary support for cell growth to allow cell adhesion, and consist of a defined structure that can be formed into customized shapes by a computer-aided design system. This versatility in preparing scaffolds gives us the opportunity to use rapid prototyping devices to fabricate polymeric scaffolds. In this study, we fabricated polycaprolactone scaffolds with interconnecting pores using a 3-D melt plotting system and compared the plotted scaffolds to those made by salt leaching. Scanning electron microscopy, a laser scanning microscope, micro-computed tomography, and dynamic mechanical analysis were used to characterize the geometry and mechanical properties of the resulting scaffolds and morphology of attached cells. The plotted scaffolds had the obvious advantage that their mechanical properties could be easily manipulated by adjusting the scaffold geometry. In addition, the plotted scaffolds provided more opportunity for cells to expand between the strands of the scaffold compared to the salt-leached scaffold.     

PLLA–collagen and PLLA–gelatin hybrid scaffolds with funnel-like porous structure for skin tissue engineering

In skin tissue engineering, a three-dimensional porous scaffold is necessary to support cell adhesion and proliferation and to guide cells moving into the repair area in the wound healing process. Structurally, the porous scaffold should have an open and interconnected porous architecture to facilitate homogenous cell distribution. Moreover, the scaffolds should be mechanically strong to protect deformation during the formation of new skin. In this study, the hybrid scaffolds were prepared by forming funnel-like collagen or gelatin sponge on a woven poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) mesh. The hybrid scaffolds combined the advantages of both collagen or gelatin (good cell-interactions) and PLLA mesh (high mechanical strength). The hybrid scaffolds were used to culture dermal fibroblasts for dermal tissue engineering. The funnel-like porous structure promoted homogeneous cell distribution and extracellular matrix production. The PLLA mesh reinforced the scaffold to avoid deformation. Subcutaneous implantation showed that the PLLA–collagen and PLLA–gelatin scaffolds promoted the regeneration of dermal tissue and epidermis and reduced contraction during the formation of new tissue. These results indicate that funnel-like hybrid scaffolds can be used for skin tissue regeneration.     

Fabrication and in vitro evaluations with osteoblast-like MG-63 cells of porous hyaluronic acid-gelatin blend scaffold for bone tissue engineering applications

In this study, hyaluronic acid–gelatin (HyA–Gel) scaffolds were prepared with HyA:Gel ratios of 15:85, 50:50, and 85:15 with the goal of obtaining a porous biocompatible scaffold for bone tissue engineering applications. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were done to characterize the morphological orientations of the scaffolds. The biocomposite structure was highly porous and the pores in the scaffolds were interconnected. The compressive strength of the scaffold was 7.39 ± 0.2 MPa for the HyA–Gel when fabricated at a ratio of 15:85. To assess the biocompatibility and cell behavior on the HyA–Gel biocomposite, the proliferation of MG-63 osteoblast cell on the scaffolds was examined using the MTT assay, optical microscopy, and confocal microscopy. Collagen type I and osteopontin expression of cells cultured on the scaffolds were examined using immunoblotting. The scaffolds fabricated with a 15:85—HyA:Gel ratio showed excellent biocompatibility, good mechanical properties, and high porosity, which suggest that the highly porous scaffold holds great promise for use in bone tissue engineering applications.     

Preparation and comparative characterization of keratin–chitosan and keratin–gelatin composite scaffolds for tissue engineering applications

We report fabrication of three dimensional scaffolds with well interconnected matrix of high porosity using keratin, chitosan and gelatin for tissue engineering and other biomedical applications. Scaffolds were fabricated using porous Keratin–Gelatin (KG), Keratin–Chitosan (KC) composites. The morphology of both KG and KC was investigated using SEM. The scaffolds showed high porosity with interconnected pores in the range of 20–100 μm. They were further tested by FTIR, DSC, CD, tensile strength measurement, water uptake and swelling behavior. In vitro cell adhesion and cell proliferation tests were carried out to study the biocompatibility behavior and their application as an artificial skin substitute. Both KG and KC composite scaffolds showed similar properties and patterns for cell proliferation. Due to rapid degradation of gelatin in KG, we found that it has limited application as compared to KC scaffold. We conclude that KC scaffold owing to its slow degradation and antibacterial properties would be a better substrate for tissue engineering and other biomedical application.     

Multilayer micromolding of degradable polymer tissue engineering scaffolds

Precise surface geometrical morphologies have been shown to improve cellular proliferation, adhesion, and functionality. It has been found that cells respond strongly to feature dimensions a fraction of their size. In this paper, soft lithography techniques were applied to microfabricate polydimethylsiloxane molds with precisely controlled micro-scale patterns. Three-dimensional polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds were fabricated using a multilayer micromolding (MMM) method. Proper heating and stamping parameters were developed for micromolding PCL. This process allowed control of the size, shape, and spacing of support structures within the scaffold. The micromolding of multiple layers with independent features allowed for alignment between layers. The high porosity, abundant interconnections, and sharp features were inherent advantages of the scaffolds. Human osteosarcoma cells were seeded in the 3-D scaffolds for cell growth testing. Fluorescent microscopy and scanning electron micrographs showed that cells responded well to the 3-D scaffolds and the scaffolds regulated cell morphology and adhesion.     

PLLA–collagen and PLLA–gelatin hybrid scaffolds with funnel-like porous structure for skin tissue engineering

Abstract

In skin tissue engineering, a three-dimensional porous scaffold is necessary to support cell adhesion and proliferation and to guide cells moving into the repair area in the wound healing process. Structurally, the porous scaffold should have an open and interconnected porous architecture to facilitate homogenous cell distribution. Moreover, the scaffolds should be mechanically strong to protect deformation during the formation of new skin. In this study, the hybrid scaffolds were prepared by forming funnel-like collagen or gelatin sponge on a woven poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) mesh. The hybrid scaffolds combined the advantages of both collagen or gelatin (good cell-interactions) and PLLA mesh (high mechanical strength). The hybrid scaffolds were used to culture dermal fibroblasts for dermal tissue engineering. The funnel-like porous structure promoted homogeneous cell distribution and extracellular matrix production. The PLLA mesh reinforced the scaffold to avoid deformation. Subcutaneous implantation showed that the PLLA–collagen and PLLA–gelatin scaffolds promoted the regeneration of dermal tissue and epidermis and reduced contraction during the formation of new tissue. These results indicate that funnel-like hybrid scaffolds can be used for skin tissue regeneration.     

不同类型多孔结构生物材料支架制备及其性能优化

多孔支架是组织工程应用中的关键环节,类似细胞外基质的作用,支撑细胞的粘附和随后细胞向组织的衍化。虽然目前已采用多种制备技术研发出大量的多孔支架,但是多孔生物材料支架的制备和性能优化,仍然是组织工程支架领域的研究热点。结合实验室工作,综述了多种制备不同类型多孔结构生物材料支架的制备技术,主要包括颗粒和纤维堆积型支架、泡沫浸渍法支架和颗粒制孔支架等的制备技术,并阐述了这些制备技术对多孔结构支架的孔结构、贯通性和力学性能的改善效果。其目的旨在提供满足组织工程需求的多孔生物材料支架。     

Surface modified electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds for nerve tissue engineering

The development of biodegradable polymeric scaffolds with surface properties that dominate interactions between the material and biological environment is of great interest in biomedical applications. In this regard, poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) nanofibrous scaffolds were fabricated by an electrospinning process and surface modified by a simple plasma treatment process for enhancing the Schwann cell adhesion, proliferation and interactions with nanofibers necessary for nerve tissue formation. The hydrophilicity of surface modified PCL nanofibrous scaffolds (p-PCL) was evaluated by contact angle and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies. Naturally derived polymers such as collagen are frequently used for the fabrication of biocomposite PCL/collagen scaffolds, though the feasibility of procuring large amounts of natural materials for clinical applications remains a concern, along with their cost and mechanical stability. The proliferation of Schwann cells on p-PCL nanofibrous scaffolds showed a 17% increase in cell proliferation compared to those on PCL/collagen nanofibrous scaffolds after 8 days of cell culture. Schwann cells were found to attach and proliferate on surface modified PCL nanofibrous scaffolds expressing bipolar elongations, retaining their normal morphology. The results of our study showed that plasma treated PCL nanofibrous scaffolds are a cost-effective material compared to PCL/collagen scaffolds, and can potentially serve as an ideal tissue engineered scaffold, especially for peripheral nerve regeneration.     

Systematic studies of a self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffold with other scaffolds

A designer self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffold has been systematically studied with 10 commonly used scaffolds in a several week study using neural stem cells (NSC), a potential therapeutic source for cellular transplantations in nervous system injuries. These cells not only provide a good in vitro model for the development and regeneration of the nervous system, but may also be helpful in testing for cytotoxicity, cellular adhesion, and differentiation properties of biological and synthetic scaffolds used in medical practices. We tested the self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffold with the most commonly used scaffolds for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine including PLLA, PLGA, PCLA, collagen I, collagen IV, and Matrigel. Additionally, each scaffold was coated with laminin in order to evaluate the utility of this surface treatment. Each scaffold was evaluated by measuring cell viability, differentiation and maturation of the differentiated stem cell progeny (i.e. progenitor cells, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons) over 4 weeks. The optimal scaffold should show high numbers of living and differentiated cells. In addition, it was demonstrated that the laminin surface treatment is capable of improving the overall scaffold performance. The designer self-assembling peptide RADA16 nanofiber scaffold represents a new class of biologically inspired material. The well-defined molecular structure with considerable potential for further functionalization and slow drug delivery makes the designer peptide scaffolds a very attractive class of biological material for a number of applications. The peptide nanofiber scaffold is comparable with the clinically approved synthetic scaffolds. The peptide scaffolds are not only pure, but also have the potential to be further designed at the molecular level, thus they promise to be useful for cell adhesion and differentiation studies as well as for future biomedical and clinical studies.     

Designer self-assembling peptide scaffold stimulates pre-osteoblast attachment, spreading and proliferation

A new peptide scaffold was made by mixing pure RADA16 (Ac-RADARADARADARADA-CONH2) and designer peptide RGDA16 (Ac-RADARGDARADARGDA-CONH2) solutions, and investigate any effect on attachment, spreading and proliferation of pre-osteoblast (MC3T3-E1). The peptides, RADA16 and RGDA16, were custom-synthesized. They were solubilized in deionized water at a concentration of 10 mg/ml (1% w/v), the RGDA16 peptide solution was mixed 1:1 with RADA16 solution and a new peptide solution RGDAmix was produced. The RGDAmix and RADA16 solution were directly loaded in 96-well plates and cover slips, and two different peptide scaffolds were formed with the addition of maintenance medium (α-MEM) in several minutes. About 1.0 × 10⁴ MC3T3-E1 cells were seeded on each hydrogel scaffold, and then the cell morphological changes were observed using a fluorescence microscope at 1 h, 3 h and 24 h timepoint, respectively. Cell attachment was evaluated 1 h, 3 h and 24 h after cell seeding and cell proliferation was determined 4d, 7d and 14d after cell seeding. The RGDAmix scaffold significantly promoted the initial cell attachment compared with the RADA16 scaffold. MC3T3-E1 cells adhered and spread well on both scaffolds, however, cells spread better on the RGDAmix scaffold than on the RADA16 scaffold. Cell proliferation was greatly stimulated when cultured on RGDAmix scaffold. The RGD sequence contained peptide scaffold RGDAmix significantly enhances MC3T3-E1 cells attachment, spreading and proliferation.     

3D-Cultivation of bone marrow stromal cells on hydroxyapatite scaffolds fabricated by dispense-plotting and negative mould technique

The main principle of a bone tissue engineering (BTE) strategy is to cultivate osteogenic cells in an osteoconductive porous scaffold. Ceramic implants for osteogenesis are based mainly on hydroxyapatite (HA), since this is the inorganic component of bone. Rapid Prototyping (RP) is a new technology in research for producing ceramic scaffolds. This technology is particularly suitable for the fabrication of individually and specially tailored single implants. For tissue engineering these scaffolds are seeded with osteoblast or osteoblast precursor cells. To supply the cultured osteoblastic cells efficiently with nutrition in these 3D-geometries a bioreactor system can be used. The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of differently fabricated HA-scaffolds on bone marrow stromal cells. For this, two RP-techniques, dispense-plotting and a negative mould method, were used to produce porous ceramics. The manufactured HA-scaffolds were then cultivated in a dynamic system (bioreactor) with an osteoblastic precursor cell line. In our study, the applied RP-techniques give the opportunity to design and process HA-scaffolds with defined porosity, interconnectivity and 3D pore distribution. A higher differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells could be detected on the negative mould fabricated scaffolds, while cell proliferation was higher on the dispense-plotted scaffolds. Nevertheless, both scaffold types can be used in tissue engineering applications.     

Effect of a synthetic link N peptide nanofiber scaffold on the matrix deposition of aggrecan and type II collagen in rabbit notochordal cells

Self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffolds have been studied extensively as biological materials for 3-dimensional cell culture and repairing tissue defects in animals. However, few studies have applied peptide nanofiber scaffolds in the tissue engineering of intervertebral discs (IVDs). In this study, a novel functionalized peptide scaffold was specifically designed for IVD tissue engineering, and notochordal cells (NCs) as an alternative cell source for IVD degeneration were selected to investigate the bioactive scaffold material. The novel RADA16-Link N self-assembling peptide scaffold material was designed by direct coupling to a bioactive motif link N. The link N nanofiber scaffold (LN-NS) material was obtained by mixing pure RADA16-I and RADA16-Link N (1:1) designer peptide solutions. Although live/dead cell assays showed that LN-NS and RADA16-I scaffold materials were both biocompatible with NCs, the LN-NS material significantly promoted NC adhesion compared with that of the pure RADA16-I SAP scaffold material. The depositions of aggrecan and type II collagen, which are significant markers for IVD cells, were remarkably increased. Furthermore, the results indicated that the link N motif, the matrix analog of the nucleus pulposus, significantly promoted the accumulation of other extracellular matrices in vitro. We conclude that the novel LN-NS material is a promising biological scaffold material, and may have a broad range of applications in IVD tissue engineering.     

具有复杂形状的聚ε-己内酯多孔支架的模压制备方法

通过聚ε-己内酯(PCL)支架的制备，尝试了一种制备具有复杂形状的组织工程三雏多孔支架的新方法一改进的模压／粒子浸出法，并对所得外耳状多孔支架的形态、孔结构和孔隙率进行了表征。模压针对聚ε-己内酯熔体和大量盐粒的混合物进行。该方法所得支架孔隙率高达90％以上。可望用于各种不同复杂形状的三雏多孔支架的制备。     

Improved osteointegration and angiogenesis of strontium-incorporated 3D-printed tantalum scaffold via bioinspired polydopamine coating

Tantalum(Ta) is used in orthopedic implants because it has excellent biocompatibility. However, high elastic modulus, bio-inertness, and unsatisfactory osteointegration limits its wider use in clinical applications. Herein, a 3 D porous Ta scaffold with low elastic modulus was fabricated using selective laser melting(SLM). Strontium(Sr) was incorporated on the surface of the scaffold with the aid of polydopamine(PDA)to further improve its osteointegration ability. The prepared scaffolds exhibited a stable Sr ion release in 14 d. Rat bone marrow stem cells(BMSCs) showed improved early adhesion and spreading after Sr was incorporated on the porous Ta surface. The osteogenic behavior, including extracellular matrix mineralization(ECM), alkaline phosphatase activity(ALP), and expression of bone-related RNA, were all enhanced. Furthermore, the Sr-incorporated porous Ta scaffolds exhibited better angiogenic behavior, such as promoting migration, tube formation, and angiogenesis-related RNA expression abilities of human vascular endothelial cells(HUVECs). Additionally, histological images(HE, Masson and CD31 immunofluorescent staining) suggested that Sr-incorporated porous Ta scaffolds displayed enhanced osteointegration and angiogenesis after implantation in rat femur for 12 weeks. These findings prove that the PDA-based Sr-incorporated porous Ta scaffolds show promising use in orthopedic implants.     

Hemocompatible surface of electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds by ATRP modification

The electrospun scaffolds are potential application in vascular tissue engineering since they can mimic the nano-sized dimension of natural extracellular matrix (ECM). We prepared a fibrous scaffold from polycarbonateurethane (PCU) by electrospinning technology. In order to improve the hydrophilicity and hemocompatibility of the fibrous scaffold, poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA) was grafted onto the fiber surface by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) method. Although SI-ATRP has been developed and used for surface modification for many years, there are only few studies about the modification of electrospun fiber by this method. The modified fibrous scaffolds were characterized by SEM, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The scaffold morphology showed no significant difference when PEGMA was grafted onto the scaffold surface. Based on the water contact angle measurement, the surface hydrophilicity of the scaffold surface was improved significantly after grafting hydrophilic PEGMA (P = 0.0012). The modified surface showed effective resistance for platelet adhesion compared with the unmodified surface. Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) of the PCU-g-PEGMA scaffold was much longer than that of the unmodified PCU scaffold. The cyto-compatibility of electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds was tested by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The images of 7-day cultured cells on the scaffold surface were observed by SEM. The modified scaffolds showed high tendency to induce cell adhesion. Moreover, the cells reached out pseudopodia along the fibrous direction and formed a continuous monolayer. Hemolysis test showed that the grafted chains of PEGMA reduced blood coagulation. These results indicated that the modified electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds were potential application as artificial blood vessels.     

Porous poly (lactic-co-glycolide) microsphere sintered scaffolds for tissue repair applications

In this paper, a new route to preparing porous poly (lactic-co-glycolide) (PLGA) scaffolds for bone tissue repair applications was developed. Novel porous PLGA scaffolds were fabricated via microsphere sintered technique and gas forming technique. Ammonium bicarbonate was used to regulate porosity of these porous scaffolds. Porosity of the scaffolds, and cell attachment, viability and proliferation on the scaffolds were evaluated. The results indicated that PLGA porous scaffolds were with the porosity from around 30% to 95% by regulating ammonium bicarbonate content from 0 to 10%. We also found that PLGA porous microsphere scaffolds benefited cell attachment and viability. Taken together, the achieved porous scaffolds have controlled porosity and also support mesenchymal stem cell proliferation, which could serve as potential scaffolds for bone repair applications.     

A novel strategy to graft RGD peptide on biomaterials surfaces for endothelization of small-diamater vascular grafts and tissue engineering blood vessel

To improve the performance of small-diamater vascular grafts, endothelization of biomaterials surfaces and tissue engineering are more promising strategies to fabricate small-diamater vascular grafts. In this study, a Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser-Pro (GRGDSP) peptide was grafted on the surfaces of poly(carbonate urethane)s (PCUs), with photoactive 4-benzoylbenzoic acid (BBA) by UV irradiation. The photoactive peptides (BBM-GRGDSP) were synthesized with classical active ester of peptide synthesis. The modified surfaces of PCU with the photoactive RGD peptides were characterized by water contact angle measurement and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), which results suggested that the peptides were successfully grafted on the PCU surfaces. The effect of these modified surfaces on endothelial cells (ECs) adhesion and proliferation was examined over 72 h. PCU surfaces coupled with the synthetic photoactive RGD peptides, as characterized with phase contrast microscope and the metabolic activity (MTT) assay enhanced ECs proliferation and spreading with increasing concentration of RGD peptides grafted on their surfaces. Increased retention of ECs was also observed on the polymers surfaces under flow shear stress conditions. The results demonstrated that GRGDSP peptides grafted on the surfaces of polymers with photoactive 4-benzoylbenzoic acids could be an efficient method of fabrication for artificial small-diamater blood vessels. The modified polymer is expected to be used for small-diamater vascular grafts and functional tissue engineered blood vessels to improve ECs adhesion and retention on the polymer surfaces under flow shear stress conditions.     

Human-like collagen/nano-hydroxyapatite scaffolds for the culture of chondrocytes

Three dimensional (3D) biodegradable porous scaffolds play a key role in cartilage tissue repair. Freeze-drying and cross-linking techniques were used to fabricate a 3D composite scaffold that combined the excellent biological characteristics of human-like collagen (HLC) and the outstanding mechanical properties of nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA). The scaffolds were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and compression tests, using Relive® Artificial Bone (RAB) scaffolds as a control. HLC/nHA scaffolds displayed homogeneous interconnected macroporous structure and could withstand a compression stress of 2.67 ± 0.37 MPa, which was higher than that of the control group. Rabbit chondrocytes were seeded on the composite porous scaffolds and cultured for 21 days. Cell/scaffold constructs were examined using SEM, histological procedures, and biochemical assays for cell proliferation and the production of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). The results indicated that HLC/nHA porous scaffolds were capable of encouraging cell adhesion, homogeneous distribution and abundant GAG synthesis, and maintaining natural chondrocyte morphology compared to RAB scaffolds. In conclusion, the presented data warrants the further exploration of HLC/nHA scaffolds as a potential biomimetic platform for chondrocytes in cartilage tissue engineering.