2007 WINNER OF THE J.A. NUTTER AWARD
FIRST PRIZE - TOP PAPER

A Novel Composite Elastin and Hyaluronan Scaffold for Nucleus Pulposus Tissue Engineering

Isaac Moss, M.D.
Toronto, ON

K. Woodhouse
C. Whyne
A. Yee

A cell-and-scaffold-based tissue engineering approach to the treatment of degenerative disc disease is of particular interest as it has potential to both restore the disc's biomechanical environment as well as to provide a biological stimulus for repair. This study was designed to investigate a modified synthetic hyaluronan(HA)/elastin(EP) composite material as a potential scaffold for nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue engineering. Human NP cells were isolated from surgical specimens, expanded in monolayer culture and then seeded into the HA/EP scaffold at a density of 1x10⁶ cells/scaffold. Scaffolds were cross-linked around the cells with poly(ethylene glycol)diacrylate and then cultured. At one, three and seven days of tissue culture, constructs were imaged by confocal microscopy after Live/Dead staining to determine cell viability and proliferation. RNA from cell-scaffold hybrids was isolated, and evaluated for expression of aggrecan and types I and II collagen. We observed a 40% increase in cells numbers with greater than 80% viability after seven days of culture. RT-PCR revealed expression of matrix molecules at all time points indicating that the cells were metabolically active. The results of this study suggest that there is value to further exploring the potential utility of a composite HA/EP scaffold for NP tissue engineering.