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Purpose <p>Cartilage tissue engineering aims to restore injured cartilage by focusing on chondrocytes and bioscaffold materials that support cellular functions and tissue regeneration. Traditional single-component scaffolds often lack sufficient mechanical strength for complex in vivo conditions. This study introduces a chitosan/gelatin/carrageenan (CGC) composite scaffold designed to improve therapeutic outcomes.</p> Methods <p>The CGC scaffold was fabricated via freeze‒drying, and its microstructure was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confirming the presence of interconnected pores (100–200&#xa0;μm). The mechanical properties of the chitosan/gelatin (CG) and CGC scaffolds were assessed via compression testing, and the swelling ratios in PBS were measured gravimetrically. Rat primary chondrocytes were cultured on both scaffolds to evaluate biocompatibility, proliferation, and extracellular matrix (ECM) production, and in vivo biocompatibility was tested following subcutaneous implantation in rats.</p> Results <p>The CGC scaffold exhibited a higher compressive strength and equilibrium swelling ratio and displayed superior mechanical and swelling properties. MTT assays conducted on Days 14 and 21 revealed enhanced chondrocyte proliferation on the CGC scaffold, indicating its superiority in terms of sustained cell growth. Notably, the SEM analysis confirmed that the CGC scaffold retained the spherical morphology of the chondrocytes on Day 21, whereas the CG scaffold exhibited less cell retention, demonstrating the advantages of CGC in preserving cells. Histological and immunofluorescence analyses confirmed increased glycosaminoglycan deposition and type II collagen expression in cells grown on the CGC scaffolds. Additionally, no pathological changes in vital organs were detected in the rats after subcutaneous implantation of the scaffold.</p> Conclusions <p>These findings highlight the ability of the CGC scaffold to create a favorable microenvironment for chondrocyte growth, positioning it as a promising material for cartilage repair and tissue engineering applications.</p>

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Chitosan/Gelatin/Carrageenan as a Composite Scaffolding Material for Cartilage Tissue Engineering

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年7月3日

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  • Chengyao Wang,
  • Weiqin Zhao,
  • Ning Ma,
  • Linyu Chen,
  • Jiajun Lu,
  • Shuang Liu,
  • Ziyi Wang,
  • Huiju Hu,
  • Hong Sun,
  • Pengcheng Che

摘要

Purpose

Cartilage tissue engineering aims to restore injured cartilage by focusing on chondrocytes and bioscaffold materials that support cellular functions and tissue regeneration. Traditional single-component scaffolds often lack sufficient mechanical strength for complex in vivo conditions. This study introduces a chitosan/gelatin/carrageenan (CGC) composite scaffold designed to improve therapeutic outcomes.

Methods

The CGC scaffold was fabricated via freeze‒drying, and its microstructure was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confirming the presence of interconnected pores (100–200 μm). The mechanical properties of the chitosan/gelatin (CG) and CGC scaffolds were assessed via compression testing, and the swelling ratios in PBS were measured gravimetrically. Rat primary chondrocytes were cultured on both scaffolds to evaluate biocompatibility, proliferation, and extracellular matrix (ECM) production, and in vivo biocompatibility was tested following subcutaneous implantation in rats.

Results

The CGC scaffold exhibited a higher compressive strength and equilibrium swelling ratio and displayed superior mechanical and swelling properties. MTT assays conducted on Days 14 and 21 revealed enhanced chondrocyte proliferation on the CGC scaffold, indicating its superiority in terms of sustained cell growth. Notably, the SEM analysis confirmed that the CGC scaffold retained the spherical morphology of the chondrocytes on Day 21, whereas the CG scaffold exhibited less cell retention, demonstrating the advantages of CGC in preserving cells. Histological and immunofluorescence analyses confirmed increased glycosaminoglycan deposition and type II collagen expression in cells grown on the CGC scaffolds. Additionally, no pathological changes in vital organs were detected in the rats after subcutaneous implantation of the scaffold.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the ability of the CGC scaffold to create a favorable microenvironment for chondrocyte growth, positioning it as a promising material for cartilage repair and tissue engineering applications.