Development and characterization of natural-origin bilayered scaffolds for osteochondral tissue engineering under the scope of Hippocrates project

Abstract

Osteochondral tissue engineering presents a challenge to research due to requirements’ combination of bone and cartilage tissue engineering. It has been accepted that bilayered structures are more adequate to regenerate an osteochondral defect. These should be able to incorporate/induce different types of cells in a favourable environment requiring different biochemical and mechanical cues, leading to the growth of two different tissues. A potential strategy to be discussed, also developed under the scope of HIPPOCRATES, is based in a hydrogel and CaP coated fibres meshes. Nevertheless, focus will be on the development of bilayered chitosan-based scaffolds produced by particle aggregation. [...]