MECHANO-ACTIVE SCAFFOLDS - Intelligent Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine - page 550

activity of SMCs cultured in the collagen/SMC-incorporated PLCL
scaffoldcomparedwiththoseculturedintheSMC-seededPLCLscaf-
fold. Figure 27.7 illustrated the stained network (reddish brown)
of elastin in the scaffolds with SMCs cultured during four weeks.
Elastin was much more expressed in collagen/SMC-incorporated
constructs (Fig. 27.7g) than in SMC-seeded constructs (Fig. 27.7c).
In particular, much more elastin was observed in the collagen/SMC-
incorporated scaffold having 50-100

μ

m pores than in any other
scaffolds. A collagen/SMC-incorporated PLCL scaffold may support
SMC growth and functions and can be used as a scaffold for tis-
sue engineering to facilitate small-diameter vascular tissue forma-
tion, although we should further analyze the cell functions in the
system.
The seamless double-layered tubular scaffold was fabricated by
a novel gel-spinning technique, implanted into a canine abdominal
aorta, and characterized through examination of mechanical and
biological properties for blood vessel reconstruction. Angiography
andultrasonographyshowedthattheimplantedscaffoldskepttheir
patency one year after operation (unpublished data).

27.3.2 Cartilage Tissue Engineering
The physiological characteristics of articular cartilage, whose main
role is to bear high stress and friction loads in the body, are
avascular, aneural, and alymphatic. 33 , 34 In particular, the lack of
blood supply or a source of undifferentiated cells that promote
woundhealingisthemajorfactorinlittleornointrinsiccapacityfor
cartilage repair in response to injury. 36 - 38 As a result, even minor
lesions or large cartilage defects may lead to progressive damage
and jointdegeneration. 38 , 39
Although there have been many studies on treatments for car-
tilage defects using autologous chondrocytes transplantation, bone
marrow stimulation therapy, and even joint transplantation, there
still remains unsolved problems such as the formation of fibrocarti-
lage, a lower mechanical strength of newly formed tissue, and lim-
ited repair capacity. 40 - 43 Recently, tissue-engineered cartilage using
scaffolds and cells has been considered for improved treatment of
cartilage defects. 44 - 46