Tissue Engineering Approaches to the Repair & Regeneration of Anterior Cruciate Ligament: Study of Silk as a Potential Biomaterial

Abstract

Ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has poor healing capabilities and no surgical procedures can restore its function. Tissue engineering has provided possibilities for ideal ACL substitutes and one of the potential biomaterials are silk fibers from silkworm which have good record in clinical applications and superior mechanical properties.In this study, a novel biocompatible 3-D scaffold was knitted out of raw silk fibers and coated with silk sponge. Bone marrow stem cells (BMSC) were seeded it and cell proliferation, viability, morphology and differentiation were investigated. Compared with a conventional cell immobilizing method a?? fibrin glue, this scaffold showed better capability of supporting the adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of BMSCs. In vivo study used New Zealand White Rabbits which were implanted with the scaffold with or without BMSCs seeded. Four weeks post operation, fibroblasts in-growth and synthesis of collagen type I, III and tenascin-C were seen in constructs seeded with cells.