Chitosan scaffolds for cartilage regeneration: influence of different ionic crosslinkers on biomaterial properties

Abstract

Chitosan is considered an elective scaffolding material in articular cartilage engineering due to its structural similarity with various Glycosamminogicans found in articular cartilage. Its poor mechanical properties, though, must be enhanced through a crosslinking treatment. Arginine (Arg) and tripolyphosphate (TPP), have been chosen as crosslinking agents, and their influence onto the chemico-physical properties (morphology, mechanical performances and stability behavior) of the resulting chitosan scaffold have been elucidated. The methodological conditions to produce a scaffold for the cartilage regeneration with tunable structural and chemical physical properties have been assessed. Furthermore, this study introduces Arginine as an innovative stabilizing agent.     

Quantification of the graphical details of collagen fibrils in transmission electron micrographs

A novel 2D image analysis technique is demonstrated. Using the digitized images of articular cartilage from transmission electron microscopy (TEM), this technique performs a localized 'vector' analysis at each region that is large enough to include several or tens of collagen fibrils but small enough to provide a fine resolution for the whole tissue. For each small and localized region, the morphology of the collagen fibrils can be characterized by three quantities essential to the nature of the tissue: the concentration of the fibrils, the overall orientation of the fibrils, and the anisotropy of the fibrils. This technique is capable of providing new insight to the existing technology by assigning quantitative attributes to the qualitative graphics. The assigned quantities are sensitive to the fine structure of the collagen matrix and meaningful in the architectural nature of the collagen matrix. These quantities could provide a critical linkage between the ultrastructure of the tissue and the macroscopic behaviours of the material. In addition, coarse-graining the microscopic resolution of EM without compromising the essential features of the tissue's structure provides a direct view of the tissue's morphology and permits direct correlations and comparisons among interdisciplinary techniques.     

Changes in functional properties of shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) cartilage gelatin produced by different drying methods

Fish gelatins extracted from shark ( Isurus oxyrinchus ) cartilage were dried by three different methods: freeze drying, hot-air drying and spray drying; and their functional properties were investigated. Freeze-dried gelatin was found to have the strongest gel strength, while gelatins made at high temperatures formed weaker gels. The 135-kPa gel strength of freeze-dried gelatin was relatively high. While foam formation ability of the freeze-dried gelatin was the highest, its foam stability was the lowest. In addition, spray-dried gelatin had the best emulsion capacities. Dynamic viscoelastic properties of shark cartilage gelatins prepared by these drying methods were closely correlated with their gel strength. Elasticity modulus ( G '; Pa) and loss modulus ( G "; Pa) of the freeze-dried gelatin had higher values than those prepared by hot-air drying and spray drying; viscoelastic properties of the freeze-dried gelatin were maintained longer than those of other drying methods.     

Poly(ethylene glycol)‐based hydrogels as cartilage substitutes: Synthesis and mechanical characteristics

Cartilage substitutes are needed to replace cartilage tissue, damaged in accidents or by pathologies (e.g., osteoarthritis). Treatment by total hip replacement has disadvantages, particularly due to immunological reaction to the implant's wear debris. One promising alternative is to replace damaged cartilage with substitutes based on hydrogel‐type material, designed to mimic the structure and properties of cartilage. The development of such a substitute must consider a wide spectrum of requirements. In this study, we addressed one aspect of this development namely the preparation and investigation of hydrogels exhibiting the required mechanical characteristics. To this aim, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels and amphiphilic interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) of PEG with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were prepared and characterized for their mechanical and swelling properties. Twenty‐seven types of hydrogels were synthesized, differing in their composition: PEG molecular weight, crosslink density, and PMMA volume fraction. The properties measured were water content, compression modulus, strength, fatigue durability, and poroelastic properties (hydraulic permeability and equilibrium modulus). All were investigated as functions of hydrogel's composition. Results show that lower PEG M_w, higher crosslink densities and higher PMMA fraction, all lead to higher modulus and lower water content, and that these properties can be controlled independently by proper choice of ingredients. Introduction of IPN greatly improved the hydrogels' strength. No reduction in the compression modulus resulting from fatigue damage was evident. Poroelastic properties varied nonmonotonously with structural characteristics. Seven types of the hydrogels were found to fit cartilage in their water content, modulus, and poroelastic properties. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

中华鲟产卵栖息地的生态需水量研究

分析了葛洲坝坝下中华鲟产卵场近20年的水文资料和实测的产卵场地形和水力数据，用Tennant法通过历史水文资料计算得到了不同栖息地状况下的生态需水量范围，其中最佳范围为7800~13000 m3/s；采用IFIM法将中华鲟对栖息地流速、水深、底质的喜好性纳入考虑, 并利用地理信息系统技术结合中华鲟产卵场水动力模拟结果计算了不同流量边界条件下的适宜栖息地面积，并得到中华鲟产卵时生态需水量范围为5000~15000m3/s, 随后利用各年实测的中华鲟产卵日的流量数据验证了该结果的正确性；同时还得出当流量入口为葛洲坝大江电厂和二江电厂时，产卵场适宜栖息地面积比其它几种入口工况的大；且同流量下基于1999年地形得出的适宜栖息地面积远大于基于2003年地形得出的适宜栖息地面积。     

鲟鱼中荧光假单胞菌生长预测模型构建及货架期预测

为快速预测有氧贮藏鲟鱼的货架期、预防鱼肉变质,通过将鲟鱼有氧冰藏条件下的特定腐败菌（荧光假单胞菌）接种于灭菌鲟鱼片后置于0、4、10、15、20 ℃有氧贮藏,分析其生长动态及货架期终点的感官评分、pH值和挥发性盐基氮值,在以修正的Gompertz方程为一级模型的基础上,分别以平方根方程和Arrhenius方程为二级模型,建立并验证荧光假单胞菌的生长预测模型。结果显示：荧光假单胞菌菌数的最小腐败值为（7.35±0.05）（lg（CFU/g））;同时,分别在8 ℃和波动温度条件下对模型验证的结果表明：基于平方根方程的荧光假单胞菌生长预测模型的残差分布在－0.09～0.10之间,准确度Af为1.14、1.17,偏差度Bf为0.97、1.02,货架期预测相对误差为－7.95%、－3.28%;而基于Arrhenius方程的模型误差较大,其中残差分布在－0.17～0.24之间,Af为1.21、1.31,Bf为0.94、1.08,货架期预测相对误差为24.87%、7.54%。因此,基于平方根方程建立的模型可以更有效地预测有氧包装鲟鱼在0～20 ℃贮藏温度条件下的荧光假单胞菌的生长及相应货架期。     

纳米羟基磷灰石/聚乙烯醇复合水凝胶的制备和性能研究

通过溶液法首次将纳米羟基磷灰石晶体与聚乙烯醇溶液复合,制备了一系列纳米羟基磷灰石／聚乙烯醇复合水凝胶材料．用TEM、IR、XRD、TG／DTG、DSC和燃烧实验对材料的结构和组成进行了表征,并对复合材料的热稳定性进行了研究。结果表明所制备的n-HA／PVA复合水凝胶材料组成均一,各相比例易于调控。是一种很有前景的生物医用复合材料。     

液体浸渍冷冻对鲟鱼贮藏过程中品质的影响

研究新兴低温冻结技术液体浸渍冷冻对鲟鱼贮藏期品质的影响,分析比较液体浸渍冷冻和传统空气冷冻处理后的鲟鱼在贮藏期的品质变化,并对多个指标进行了检测分析。结果表明,液体浸渍冷冻处理的鲟鱼冷冻速率是传统空气冷冻的12.47倍,经过液体浸渍冷冻的鲟鱼其肌纤维受到的破坏较空气冷冻小,贮藏过程中鲟鱼的回复性与L*值均较空气冷冻高(P0.05),二者挥发性盐基氮值和过氧化值的变化趋势也具有显著性差异(P0.05)。因此,液体浸渍冷冻能够更好地保持鲟鱼原有的品质,可在鲟鱼贮藏保鲜过程中加以利用。     

The role of hyaluronic acid in biomineralization

Hyaluronic acid has been extensively investigated due to intrinsic properties of natural origin and strong ability to bind ions in water. Hyaluronic acid is an excellent crystal modifier because its abundant negatively charged carboxyl groups can bind the cations protruding from the crystal lattice. In this review, we mainly present the latest work focus on the role of hyaluronic acid in controlling the crystallization, breaking the symmetry of crystal, and the surface funtionalization of nanocrystals.