Novel design to integrate tissue engineered cartilage to native bone using hydroxyapatite nanoparticles

Nanomaterial layer plays a vital role in forming the biological interface between the host and tissue engineered constructs. Size may change the potential interfacial strength of the construct. For the potential treatment of osteoarthritis in the knee, cartilage has been engineered using photopolymerizable, hydrogel-based scaffolding approaches; however there remains a need for enhanced anchorage of the engineered tissue to the underlying subchondral bone. Previous studies have taken approaches based on the principles of mechanical fixation, protein biochemistry and polymer science in order to form novel strategies of integration but have demonstrated limited success in terms of hydrogel retention within the defect space. In this paper, we have demonstrated the integration of a tissue engineered model with the native tissue with the help of a thin layer of bio ceramic hydroxyapatite nanoparticles between the host tissue and the tissue engineered construct.