A Novel Glycosaminoglycan Mimetic Scaffold for Cartilage Repair

The project addresses the limitations of current articular cartilage repair methods, which often result in fibrocartilage instead of normal hyaline cartilage. The proposed approach combines microfracturing, which provides endogenous stem cells, with a novel semi-synthetic scaffold (Sodium cellulose sulfate, NaCS) designed to mimic the cartilage extracellular matrix during development. NaCS is a water-soluble linear polysaccharide that can be synthesized with varying degrees of sulfation to improve bioactivity. The research will involve three main aims: (1) fabricating and characterizing NaCS constructs and investigating in vitro chondrogenesis of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs); (2) evaluating in vivo cartilage tissue formation and integration in a rabbit defect model; and (3) investigating NaCS constructs in a clinically relevant, critically-sized cartilage defect model. The ultimate goal is to develop a translatable strategy for treating cartilage lesions.