EVALUATION OF IN SITU CROSSLINKABLE BIOMATERIAL FOR OSTEOCHONDRAL DEFECT REPA

这个子项目是利用由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供的资源的许多研究子项目之一。子项目和调查员(PI)可能从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金，因此可能会出现在其他CRISE条目中。列出的机构是针对中心的，而不一定是针对调查员的机构。本工作的目的是评估生物弹性聚合物作为支架的能力，并在山羊模型中支持关节软骨修复。山羊膝关节接受双侧手术，在股骨髁部造成巨大的软骨缺损；一侧填充定制合成的生物聚合物，而另一侧未填充。在愈合3个月和6个月后，将通过关节表面的大体分级、组织学评估以及MRI和X光图像的半定量分级来确定缺损区软骨变化的时间进程。这项研究的结果有望表明这种生物聚合物配方促进关节软骨修复的可行性。MRI是目前唯一一种评估软骨变化的非侵入性工具，可用于软骨治疗的临床评估，而不是自我给药的患者评估。拟议的核磁共振研究对于将这项动物研究的结果转化为人类临床情况很重要。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The objective of this work is to evaluate the ability of a bioelastic polymer to act as a scaffold and support articular cartilage repair in an osteochondral defect in a goat model. Goat knees undergo a bilateral procedure to create a large cartilage defect on the femoral condyle; one side is filled with a custom synthesized biopolymer while the other side is left unfilled. The timecourse of cartilage changes in the defect will be determined by gross grading of the joint surfaces, histological evaluation and semi-quantitative grading of MRI and X-ray images following three and six months of healing. The results of this study are expected to suggest the feasibility of this biopolymer formulation to promote articular cartilage repair. MRI is currently the only non-invasive tool for evaluating cartilage changes that is acceptable for clinical evaluations of cartilage therapies, other than self-administered patient assessments. The proposed MRI studies are important for translating findings from this animal study to the human clinical situation.