Cytotoxicity studies of Ag/alginate nanocomposite hydrogels in 2D and 3D cultures

Alginate nanocomposite hydrogels with incorporated electrochemically synthesized silver nanoparticles were investigated regarding cytotoxicity in vitro. Direct contact test of Ag/alginate discs was applied in 2D monolayer cultures of bovine calf chondrocytes while a 3D culture of bovine articular cartilage explants pressed by the discs was established in a biomimetic bioreactor with dynamic compression in the physiological regime (10 % strain, 0.84 Hz frequency, 1 h on / 1 h off). Moderate cytotoxicity was observed in 2D cell cultures as opposed to findings in 3D explant cultures, which were not affected by the Ag/alginate discs despite the compression.