Flexible and Elastic Scaffolds for Cartilage Tissue Engineering Prepared by Stereolithography Using Poly(trimethylene carbonate)-Based Resins

The aim of this study is to investigate the applicability of flexible and elastic poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) structures prepared by stereolithography as scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering. A three-armed methacrylated PTMC macromer with a molecular weight of 3100gmol(-1) is used to build designed scaffolds with a pore diameter of 350 +/- 12m and a porosity of 54.0 +/- 2.2%. Upon seeding of bovine chondrocytes in the scaffolds, the cells adhere and spread on the PTMC surface. After culturing for 6 weeks, also cells with a round morphology are present, indicative of the differentiated chondrocyte phenotype. Sulphated glycosaminoglycans and fibrillar collagens are deposited by the cells. During culturing for 6 weeks, the compression moduli of the constructs increases 50% to approximately 100kPa.