Gelatin/chitosan/hyaluronan scaffold integrated with PLGA microspheres for cartilage tissue engineering

Poly(lactide-co-glycotide) (PLGA) microspheres integrated into gelatin/chitosan/hyaluronan scaffolds were fabricated by freeze-drying and crosslinking with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl)carbodiimide. The effects of the microspheres on porosity, density, compressive modulus, phosphate-buffered saline uptake ratio and weight loss of the scaffolds were evaluated. Generally, a scaffold with a higher PLGA content had a lower porosity and weight loss, and a medium uptake ratio, but a larger apparent density and compressive modulus. When the PLGA content was lower than 50%, the PLGA-integrated scaffolds had a similar pore size (∼200 μm) as that of the control, and as much as 90% of their porosity could be preserved. In vitro chondrocyte culture in the 50% PLGA-integrated scaffold demonstrated that the cells could proliferate and secrete extracellular matrix at the same level as in the control gelatin/chitosan/hyaluronan scaffold.