Biomimetic hydrogels for tissue engineering of the intervertebral disc

Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field that aims to repair or regenerate lost or damaged tissues and organs in the body. One such area with significant medical applications is the degeneration of the intervertebral disc (IVD). The objective of this work is to generate a bioadhesive polymer that, in addition to bonding with tissue, can support and cell survival post-adhesion. A thermosensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) scaffold with aldehyde-modified CS adhesive and extracellular matrix (ECM) loaded lipid vesicles was examined as a potential minimally invasive method for repair and regeneration of degenerated IVD tissue. Samples containing varying percentages of aldehyde-modified CS and presence or absence of ECM loaded lipid vesicles were evaluated for physiological relevant performance with porcine skin. Maximum stress and work of adhesion were calculated for each polymer formulation based on force-distance data. Currently, work is being done to investigate the biocompatibility of various polymer compositions to optimize polymer blends for maximum work, stress and biocompatibility for use in vivo.