Bioreactor Enhanced Stem Cell Medicated Osteoconducting Scaffold for Large Bone Defect Healing

Abstract

The repair of large bone defect still remains a major clinical challenge. This project aims to address this challenge by pursuing bone tissue engineering strategy. Human fetal bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (hfMSC) were isolated, characterized, and compared to MSCs isolated from different ontological and anatomical origins including umbilical cord, bone marrow and adipose tissue. This study indicated that hfMSC is a superior cellular candidature for bone tissue engineering, with reduced immunogenicity, higher proliferative and osteogenic capacities. Additionally, a bi-axial rotating bioreactor was investigated and showed the capacity to enhance cellular proliferation, differentiation and maintain the cellular viability. Highly osteogenic tissue engineered (TE) bone grafts were developed through the combinational use of hfMSC, bi-axial bioreactor and osteoconducting Polycaprolactone -Tricalcium Phosphate (PCL-TCP) scaffolds. And this TE bone grafts demonstrated their effectiveness to enhance vascularization and accelerate healing in a rat femoral defect model.