CAREER: Polysaccharide-Based Biohybrid Constructs for Engineering of Cartilaginous Tissue

职业：用于软骨组织工程的基于多糖的生物杂交结构

• 批准号: 0747968
• 负责人: Steven Nicoll
• 金额: $ 40万
• 依托单位: University of Pennsylvania
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-03-01 至 2013-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0747968&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Polysaccharide; Based; Biohybrid; Constructs

0747968NicollArticular cartilage is a thin layer of soft connective tissue that covers the articulating surfaces in moveable joints. The principal function of articular cartilage is to redistribute applied loads and to provide a low friction-bearing surface to facilitate movement within these joints. Annually, over one million procedures involving cartilage replacement are performed in the United States as a result of debilitating ailments affecting articular cartilage. Unlike other connective tissues, cartilage has a limited reparative ability because it is relatively acellular and avascular. Current attempts to engineer articular cartilage are limited by a scarcity of both specialized cartilage-forming cells and biomaterials with appropriate mechanical properties. Therefore, the overall objective of this NSF CAREER research project is to develop alternative biohybrid implants that are readily available and possess appropriate mechanical properties for cartilage reconstruction. The study design will employ a unique mechano-chemical paradigm to differentiate human skin cells into cartilage cells. In addition, novel polysaccharide-based hydrogel materials will be fabricated to allow for the assembly of a functional extracellular matrix by encapsulated cells. Successful completion of the proposed studies may lead to the development of novel living tissue equivalents to restore the function of cartilaginous tissues. In addition, the naturally-derived biomaterials generated from this work will serve as versatile, clinically-relevant platforms to study cellular behavior. The proposed studies bridge multiple disciplines, including cell biology, materials science, and mechanical engineering, and will be integrated with three specific educational objectives: (1) Course development in orthopaedic tissue engineering, (2) Undergraduate student research internships, and (3) Community outreach geared toward mentoring middle school children.

0747968Nicoll关节软骨是一层薄薄的软结缔组织，覆盖可活动关节的关节表面。 关节软骨的主要功能是重新分配施加的载荷并提供低摩擦支撑表面以促进这些关节内的运动。 由于影响关节软骨的衰弱疾病，美国每年都会进行超过一百万例涉及软骨置换的手术。 与其他结缔组织不同，软骨的修复能力有限，因为它相对无细胞且无血管。 目前设计关节软骨的尝试受到缺乏专门的软骨形成细胞和具有适当机械性能的生物材料的限制。 因此，这个 NSF CAREER 研究项目的总体目标是开发替代生物混合植入物，这些植入物易于使用并具有适合软骨重建的机械性能。 该研究设计将采用独特的机械化学范式将人类皮肤细胞分化为软骨细胞。 此外，还将制造新型多糖基水凝胶材料，以便通过封装的细胞组装功能性细胞外基质。 成功完成拟议的研究可能会导致新型活组织等效物的开发，以恢复软骨组织的功能。 此外，这项工作产生的天然生物材料将作为研究细胞行为的多功能、临床相关平台。拟议的研究跨越了多个学科，包括细胞生物学、材料科学和机械工程，并将与三个具体的教育目标相结合：(1) 骨科组织工程课程开发，(2) 本科生研究实习，(3)旨在指导中学生的社区外展活动。