Publication details
Towards bioartificial graft for intervertebral bony fusion
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| Year of publication | 2022 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
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| Description | Introduction Intervertebral fusion in degenerative spinal disease is at the forefront medical interests for decades. Current treatment methods offer fusion using autologous graft, allograft and/or materials based on polymers, ceramics or metal mixtures. Our project merges the expertise of premier spinal department in the country with cell biologists, and polymer chemists. The ultimate outcome of our preclinical R&D will be scaffold based on combination of calcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite that will i) possess strength and stiffness similar to those of vertebral end plate, ii) will be internally structured to support ingrowth and differentiation of vasculogenic and osteogenic cells, iii) will be biodegradable to enable resorption and rebuilding by cells into “near-to-native” live bone, and iv) will possess chemical composition respecting biocompatibility and possibly allowing for incorporation of bioactive substances. We expect such scaffold to be loaded by patient autologous cells (osteogenic and vasculogenic) at the time of surgery. Methods To develop proper architecture of ceramic scaffolds we use two methodologies: Template and/or polymerization foaming and Advanced 3D-stereolithography (using CeraFab 7500 3D printer, Lithoz). For colonizing scaffolds and for evaluating their properties we use human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) and human microvascular fragments (MVF), both prepared from lipoaspirate. The materials and their combinations with MSC and MVF are tested both in in vitro cultures and in vivo using immunodeficient mice. Results Until now we achieved the following: i) manufacturing of 3D scaffold sized to fit human spine, ii) evaluating such scaffold for its biocompatibility (both in vitro and in vivo), and iii) colonizing this scaffold by human osteogenic and vasculogenic cells isolated from lipoaspirate. Conclusions We produced bio-implant by combining 3D bioprinting and foaming of calcium phosphate/hydroxyapatite that supports ingrowth of osteogenic and vasculogenic human cells, and that can be shaped to sizes that are adequate to human spine. |
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