سمانه نيك پر

Articular cartilage tissue, due to its avascular nature and low population of chondrocytes, is highly vulnerable to injuries and exhibits limited regenerative capacity. Consequently, identifying effective therapeutic and regenerative approaches for articular cartilage repair is of significant importance. Among the innovative strategies in this domain, tissue engineering has emerged as a promising approach for repairing and regenerating damaged tissues. In this study, composite hydrogels composed of gelatin and chitosan (with a gelatin-to-chitosan weight ratio of 4:1) were fabricated using the solution casting method, followed by freeze-drying. Crosslinking of these hydrogels was achieved using glutaraldehyde (3% v/v), which led to the formation of imine bonds (–C=N), enhancing the stability of the hydrogel scaffolds. The formation of imine bonds between the amino groups of gelatin and chitosan polymers via glutaraldehyde was analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Furthermore, the effects of adding varying weight percentages of hydroxyapatite (1%, 2%, and 3%) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) (0/2%, 0/3%, and 0/4%) on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and biological characteristics of the composite hydrogels were investigated. Microscopic analyses revealed that increasing the hydroxyapatite content significantly reduced the average porosity of the composite hydrogels, while the addition of MWCNTs resulted in a slight decrease in porosity. Additionally, increasing the hydroxyapatite and MWCNTs contents enhanced the Young's modulus and compressive strength of the composite hydrogels, while reducing their swelling capacity and degradation rate. To eva‎luate the cytotoxicity of MWCNTs, an MTT assay was conducted. The results indicated that increasing the MWCNTs content reduced the viability of MC3T3-E1 cells, emphasizing the need for careful consideration in selecting the optimal concentration of these nanomaterials. Based on the obtained results, the optimal composition for fabricating tissue-engineering scaffolds consisted of a gelatin-to-chitosan weight ratio of 1:4, a glutaraldehyde concentration of 3% v/v, 1% w/w hydroxyapatite, and 0/2% or 0/3% w/w MWCNTs.

بافت غضروف مفصلي , كيتوسان , ژلاتين , هيدروكسي‌آپاتيت , نانولوله¬هاي كربني

Articular cartilage tissue , hydrogel , chitosan , gelatin , hydroxyapatite , carbon nanotubes

Samaneh Nikpar

Dr. Alireza Khavandi - Dr. Jafar Javadpour - Dr. Hamidreza Rezaie