Browsing by Author "Cabral, Joaquim Manuel Sampaio"
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- Chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells on 3D porous poly (ε-caprolactone) scaffolds: Effects of material alkaline treatment and chondroitin sulfate supplementationPublication . Moura, Carla; Silva, João Carlos; Faria, Sofia; Fernandes, Paulo Rui; Silva, Cláudia Lobato da; Cabral, Joaquim Manuel Sampaio; Linhardt, Robert; Bártolo, Paulo Jorge; Ferreira, Frederico CasteloCartilage defects resultant from trauma or degenerative diseases (e.g., osteoarthritis) can potentially be repaired using tissue engineering (TE) strategies combining progenitor cells, biomaterial scaffolds and bio physical/chemical cues. This work examines promoting chondrogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (BMMSCs) by combining the effects of modified poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds hydrophilicity and chondroitin sulfate (CS) supplementation in a hypoxic 5% oxygen atmosphere. 3D extruded PCL scaffolds, characterized by mCT, featured a 21 mmL1 surface area to volume ratio, 390 mm pore size and approximately 100% pore interconnectivity. Scaffold immersion in sodium hydroxide solutions for different periods of time had major effects in scaffold surface morphology, wettability and mechanical properties, but without improvements on cell adhesion. In-situ chondrogenic differentiation of BM-MSC seeded in 3D-extruded PCL scaffolds resulted in higher cell populations and ECM deposition along all scaffold structure, when chondrogenesis was preceded by an expansion phase. Additionally, CS supplementation during BM-MSC expansion was crucial to enhance aggrecan gene expression, known as a hallmark of chondrogenesis. Overall, this study presents an approach to tailor the wettability and mechanical properties of PCL scaffolds and supports the use of CSsupplementation as a biochemical cue in integrated TE strategies for cartilage regeneration.
- Effects of Different Fibre Alignments and Bioactive Coatings on Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cell Adhesion and Proliferation in Poly (ɛ-caprolactone) Scaffolds towards Cartilage RepairPublication . Silva, João Carlos; Moura, Carla Sofia; Alves, Nuno; Cabral, Joaquim Manuel Sampaio; Ferreira, Frederico CasteloIn this work, 3D biodegradable poly (ɛ-caprolactone) scaffolds with high porosity and interconnectivity were produced by extrusion and characterized in terms of their structural and mechanical properties. The effects of scaffold fibre alignment (0-45° and 0-90°) and of different adhesive coatings (Fibronectin, Gelatin and commercially available CELLstart™) on bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal cells adhesion, migration and proliferation were evaluated using AlamarBlue™ assay. Fibronectin and CELLstart™ coated poly (ɛ-caprolactone) scaffolds presented an improvement in cell adhesion of approximately 2-fold relatively to the non-treated scaffolds, independently of fibre alignment. Overall, all the conditions studied promoted the growth and migration of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in the fabricated poly(ɛ-caprolactone) scaffolds, without affecting their chondrogenic differentiation and extracellular matrix deposition evaluated by Alcian Blue staining.