Description
Cartilage defects are a major health problem. Tissue engineering has developed different strategies and several
biomaterial morphologies, including natural-based ones, for repairing these defects. We used electrospun
polycaprolactone (PCL) and starch-compounded PCL (SPCL) nanofiber meshes to evaluate extracellular matrix
(ECM) formation by bovine articular chondrocytes (BACs). The main aim of this work was to evaluate the
suitability of PCL and SPCL nanofiber meshes in chondrocyte cultures, and their capability to produce ECM
when seeded onto these nanostructured materials. The effect of culture conditions (static vs dynamic) on ECM
formation was also assessed. BACs were seeded onto PCL and SPCL nanofiber meshes using a dynamic cellseeding
procedure and cultured under static or dynamic conditions for 4 weeks. Constructs were characterized
using scanning electron microscopy, histology, immunolocalization of collagen types I and II, and glycosaminoglycan
(GAG) quantification. Results show an extensive cell colonization of the entire nanofiber mesh, for both
materials, and that chondrocytes presented typical spherical morphology. Some degree of cell infiltration inside
the nanofiber meshes was noticeable for both materials. ECM formation and GAG were detected throughout the
materials, evidencing typical construct maturation. PCL and SPCL nanofiber meshes are suitable as supports for
ECM formation and therefore are adequate for cartilage tissue-engineering approaches.
; Crawford, Aileen 
