Hyaluronic Acid Incorporation into Scaffolds for Bone and Cartilage Regeneration - Hyaluronic Acid for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications - page 21

2 Hyaluronic Acid Incorporation

into Scaffolds for Bone and
Cartilage Regeneration

Abhijith K. Kudva and Jennifer Patterson

2.1 Introduction

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is being increasingly used as a scaffold material
for bone and cartilage regeneration. As HA is found in cartilage
and in the cartilaginous intermediates that precede bone formation
during development, it is a logical choice as a biomimetic material.
However, as with many naturally derived materials, processing into
a scaffold requires chemical modification to allow the formation of
three-dimensional (3D) structures and to increase the persistence of
this biodegradable molecule. This chapter reviews recent advances in
the incorporation of HA into scaffolds, including combination with
cells, growth factors, and/or other polymers, for bone and cartilage
repair. But first, an overview of the relevance of HA in cartilage and
bone development is provided.

2.2 Hyaluronic Acid in Bone and Cartilage Biology

Structurally, the 206 bones of the adult human skeleton are composed
of a collagen-rich matrix (35%) along with a hydroxyapatite mineral
phase (65%); several cell types can be found in bone, including bone-
forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts [1]. Articular
(hyaline) cartilage provides a smooth and wear resistant surface that
enables the ends of the bones to glide effortlessly [2, 3]. Its high water
content within an organised framework of the extracellular matrix