Umadevi Kandalam
Nova Southeastern University, USA
Title: A nanofibrous hydrogel for bone tissue engineering
Biography
Biography: Umadevi Kandalam
Abstract
Therapeutic management of bone loss in craniofacial region as a consequence of trauma, tumor surgery or congenital malformation presents clinical challenge. Biomaterials play a role in interacting with cells in the formation of tissue. PuraMatrixTM is a commercially available self-assembled synthetic peptide hydrogel that is amphiphilic in nature. Under physiological conditions PuraMatrixTM, can instantly polymerize forming matrices providing three-dimensional architecture that facilitate cells growth.The objective of the study is to investigate the ability of this hydrogel to support the cell growth and osteogenic differentiation of human gingiva derived stem cells. Mesenchymal stem cells obtained from human gingival tissue were culture expanded. Proliferation of the cells encapsulated in PuraMatrixTM scaffold was observed at 1- 7 days. In vitro osteogenic differentiation of these cells was investigated at 1 and 2 weeks. The in vivo bone regeneration ability was analyzed by using anectopic bone formation in a rat model. PuraMatrixTM embedded cells were viable during the entire period of study. Significant increase in osteogenic marker-alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was observed in cell- gel constructs when compared with monolayer cultures. Notably cells in PuraMatrixTM showed significant up regulation of other marker genes such as collagen type 1 and osteopontin at 2 weeks of culture. Within four weeks after implantation, osteoid like structures were observed in rats. The study revealed that PuraMatrixTM scaffold enhances the ability of HGMSCs for bone regeneration