Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2012, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (29): 5375-5378.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2012.29.012

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Repair of meniscal cartilage injuries in the avascular zone of rabbits by using porous silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

Zhu Xian-wei1, Xu Wei-yuan2, Zhang Xing-xiang2, Wang Chuang-li2, Wang Li-ming2, Sha Wei-ping2, Zhu Yin1   

  1. 1Clinical Medical College of Jiangsu University, Zhejiang 212013, Jiangsu Province, China;
    2Departmen of Orthopedics, Zhangjiagang First People’s Hospital, Zhangjiagang 215600, Jiangsu Province, China
  • Received:2011-12-27 Revised:2012-01-14 Online:2012-07-15 Published:2012-07-15
  • Contact: Xu Wei-yuan, Doctor, Professor, Chief physician, Departmen of Orthopedics, Zhangjiagang First People’s Hospital, Zhangjiagang 215600, Jiangsu Province, China xwy143@163.com
  • About author:Zhu Xian-wei★, Studying for master’s degree, Clinical Medical College of Jiangsu University, Zhejiang 212013, Jiangsu Province, China Interout1986@163.com

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: With the emergence of tissue engineering, the possibility of meniscal repair in the avascular zone is greatly increased, but single scaffold materials fail to meet an ideal scaffold and have certain limitations.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite (SF/HA) combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on repairing meniscal cartilage injuries in the avascular zone of rabbits.
METHODS: Rabbit BMSCs were isolated, cultured and induced into fibrochondrocytes, and then cultured with SF/HA. A rabbit model of unilateral meniscal cartilage injuries in the avascular zone was established. A total of 42 rabbits were randomly divided into three groups. Compound group was implanted with the compound of BMSCs and SF/HA, pure material group was implanted with SF/HA and control group had no treatment.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The results of general observation showed that the injured tissue had been filled in the compound group. And the repair effect was improved gradually at weeks 8-12, which was similar to the normal meniscus tissue and superior to the other two groups. The results of histological examination exhibited cartilage capsule and collagen fibers arranged in disorder at week 8, and meniscus injuries were completely repaired in the compound group at week 12. Meniscus injuries were partly repaired with scar healing in the pure materials group. The control group was not found cartilage injuries healing. The results of MRI examination indicated that the repair effect of the compound group was the best. These findings suggest that the method of BMSCs combined with SF/HA is feasible to repair meniseal cartilage injuries in the avascular zone, and the SF/HA can be used as scaffold materials for meniscal cartilage tissue engineering due to its good biocompatibility.

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