Gellan gum-based Hydrogel Bilayered Scaffolds for Osteochondral Tissue Engineering

D. R. Pereira^1,2, R. F. Canadas^1,2, J. Silva-Correia^1,2, A. P. Marques^1,2, J. M. Oliveira^1,2*, R. L. Reis^1,2

¹3B's Research Group – Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, S. Cláudio de Barco, 4806-909 Taipas, Guimarães, Portugal;

²ICVS/3B’s - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.

*Corresponding and Presenting author

It has been shown that bilayered scaffolds presenting a cartilage- and bone-like layers are most advantageous for treating osteochondral defects (OCD). In this study, it is proposed the use of low acyl gellan gum (LAGG) for developing bilayered hydrogel scaffolds for OCD tissue engineering. The bilayered LAGG/LAGG-hydroxyapatite (HAp) hydrogel scaffolds were obtained from 2 wt% LAGG aqueous solutions  (cartilage-like), while by adding a 2 wt% LAGG aqueous solution to different amounts of HAp (5-20 wt%) it was possible to produce the bone-like layer. The LAGG/LAGG-HAp) hydrogel scaffolds were characterized under dynamic mechanical analysis in PBS, and bioactivity tests were performed in a simulated body fluid solution up to 14 days. Rabbit osteoblasts and chondrocytes were also encapsulated within the bilayered scaffolds and cultured up to 21 days. The in vitro results demonstrated that the GG/GG-HAp bilayered hydrogel scaffolds are non-cytotoxic and supported the rabbit cells viability and phenotype.