Functional Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Articular Cartilage Repair

描述（由申请人提供）：SBIR I期提案旨在研究开发用于关节软骨修复的独特类别定向软骨细胞/聚（乙交酯-己内酯）（PGA-co-PCL）纳米纤维支架结构的可行性。我们对这种独特的组织再生系统的设计和评价的假设是基于本实验室和其他实验室最近的几项发现。(1)静电纺丝纳米纤维聚己内酯（PCL）为基础的生物可降解支架适合于维护软骨细胞。(2)独特的制造方法，即，由StonybrookTechnologyandAppliedResearch（星星），Inc.开发的多喷嘴静电纺丝和电吹法，是在工业规模上制造适用于生物医学应用的高度多孔3D非织造支架的理想选择。(3)多射流静电纺丝/电吹形式与同轴纺丝能力的组合可以允许在低温和水性环境中加工精细的生物活性材料，其中可以掺入生长因子而不用担心热分解。(4)通过机械拉伸的后处理方法可用于控制静电纺丝支架的机械稳定性、各向异性和孔隙率。我们建议明智地组合上述技术，即，本发明涉及具有规定的降解速率、机械稳定性、孔隙率、各向异性和生长因子的控释能力（即，成纤维细胞生长因子（FGF-2）和转化生长因子-1（TGF-β 1））将提供一种强有力的途径来制备用于修复关节软骨的新型软骨细胞递送支架。 公共卫生解放：提出了一类独特的软骨细胞/聚（乙交酯-己内酯）（PGA-co-PCL）纳米纤维支架结构用于关节软骨修复。这些构建体由具有规定的降解速率、机械稳定性、多孔性、各向异性和生长因子的控释能力的三维可生物降解纳米纤维支架组成（即，成纤维细胞生长因子（FGF-2）和转化生长因子-1（TGF-1））。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The SBIR Phase I proposal aims to investigate the feasibility of developing a unique class of directed chondrocyte/poly(glycolide-co-caprolactone) (PGA-co-PCL) nanofibrous scaffold constructs for articular cartilage repair. Our hypothesis for the design and evaluation of this unique tissue regeneration system is based on several recent findings made in this and other laboratories. (1) Electrospun nanofibrous polycaprolactone (PCL)-based biodegradable scaffolds are suitable for maintenance of chondrocytes. (2) The unique nanofiber fabrication methods, i.e., multiple-jet electrospinning and electroblowing processes, developed by Stonybrook Technology and Applied Research (STAR), Inc., is ideal to fabricate highly porous 3D non-woven scaffolds on an industrial scale suitable for biomedical applications. (3) The multiple-jet electrospinning/electroblowing format in combination with coaxial spinning capability can allow the processing of delicate bioactive materials at low temperatures and in an aqueous environment, where growth factors can be incorporated without fear of thermal decomposition. (4) Post-processing approaches by mechanical stretching can be used to control the mechanical stability, anisotropy and the porosity of electrospun scaffolds. We propose that a judicious combination of the above technologies, i.e., 3D nanofibrous biodegradable scaffolds with prescribed degradation rate, mechanical stability, porosity, anisotropy and controlled-release capability of growth factors (i.e., fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) and transforming growth factor-¿1 (TGF-¿1)) will offer a powerful pathway to prepare a new class of chondrocyte delivery scaffolds for repair of articular cartilage. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVENCE: A unique class of chondrocyte/poly(glycolide-co-caprolactone) (PGA-co-PCL) nanofibrous scaffold constructs for articular cartilage repair is proposed. These constructs consist of three-dimensional biodegradable nanofibrous scaffolds with prescribed degradation rate, mechanical stability, porosity, anisotropy and controlled release capability of growth factors (i.e., fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) and transforming growth factor-¿1 (TGF-¿1)).