Engineered scaffolds for intervertebral disc repair and regeneration and for articulating joint repair and regeneration

摘要

Methods for the engineering and preparation of intervertebral disc repair scaffoldsand articulating joint repair scaffolds are disclosed. The methodology utilizeseither magnetic resonance images or combined magnetic resonance and computedtomography images as a template for creating either the intervertebral scaffoldor the joint repair scaffold (e.g., osteochondral scaffold) with fixation tothe underlying bone. The disc scaffold design may include an outer annulus thatmay contain desired structures and a central nucleus pulposus region that couldeither contain a designed microstructure or a contained hydrogel. The osteochondralscaffold may include a bone compartment interface with a cartilage compartment.The bone compartment may interface with a cutout portion of the bone through fixationcomponents. Different microstructure designs may be created for the bone andcartilage compartment to represent desired mechanical and mass transport properties.The scaffolds are designed with a microstructure that controls elastic and permeabilityproperty distribution within the scaffold.