| 초록 |
Since articular cartilage has a limited intrinsic repair capacity, various three-dimensional (3-D) scaffolds have been used as substrates to facilitate or promote articular cartilage repair. Hydrogels are of promising candidates for cartilage tissue engineering because their high water content and crosslinked structure mimic the natural cartilage tissue. In this study, we attempted to utilize heparin-based hydrogels as a cartilage regeneration scaffold. Heparin-based hydrogels were prepared by a Michael-type addition reaction between thiolated heparin and diacrylated poly(ethylene glycol). In vitro characterizations of chondrocytes cultured in the heparin-based hydrogels were carried out, and potential for effective cartilage repair was evaluated. |
