Improved Attachment and Proliferation of Porcine Articular Chondrocyte onto Hydroxyapatite Incorporated Poly(Lactic-co-Glycolic acid)

Abstract

Hydroxyapatite (HA) powders were incorporated in PLGA (75 : 25) films to investigate the effect of various HA contents in the composite film to the attachment and proliferation of porcine chondrocyte. The films were prepared by solvent-casting method. We observed the mechanical properties of the composite as well as chondrocyte attachment and proliferation of the prepared specimens. The 10 wt% HA content film showed two-fold higher ultimate tensile strength than control group. In surface characterization of the film, the surface of HA/PLGA composite films were more hydrophilic than that of control group (p<0.05). The cell attachment and cell proliferation of the HA/PLGA composite films (10 wt % HA) showed significantly higher than those of control group (1.44 times higher in attachment test, and 1.31 times higher at 6th-day of culture in proliferation assaying, p<0.05). Based on these findings, 10 wt% of HA content in PLGA film was effective on improving mechanical properties as well as cultivating conditions for porcine chondrocyte.