In vitro Evaluation of Chondrocyte on Dialdehyde-Starch-Crosslinked Gelatin Hydrogel

The purpose of research is to use gelatin which has biological compatibility to be hydrogel material .Gelatin is not ideal as the mechanical property, therefore,we promote its mechanical property using the crosslinking agent. In the present commonly used cross-linking agents, for instance: glutaraldehyde , 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide(EDC) , genipin etc.Although glutaraldehyde has ideal mechanical strength, but has very strong cytotoxicity; Using EDC to cross-link,and be separated finally from by the urea form, is non-cytotoxicity, but mechanical strength of hydrgel will not be remarkable; Genipin will promote to mechanical strength of hydrgel, and have weak cytotoxicity, but its product can have the dark color, therefore cross-linking agents have its shortcoming at present.In this reseach use sodium periodate to oxidized starch to form Dialdehyde stach(DAS), sodium periodate is a highly selective oxidizing agent, which cleaves the C-2 – C-3 linkage of anhydroglucose units with the formation of dialdehyde groups. The highly reactive dialdehyde groups in starch can be used as cross-linking agents.DAS was crosslinked with gelatin in order to improve the mechanical properties of gelatin/DAS copolymer, and culture the cartilage tissue in vitro, in order to reach the purpose to repair damaged articular cartilage.rom the results, DAS/gelatin hydrogel can form gel at room temperature.The gel strength and thermostability of DAS/gelatin hydrogel was increased when the oxidation percentage of DAS to cross-link gelatin increased.DAS/gelatin hydrogel is non-cytotoxicity and will not influence the cell proliferation.Three-dimensional hydrogel culture model is benefit to chondrocyte to increased the secretion of the extracellular matrix.The results can confirm that the hydrogel three-dimensional structure is the ideal environment for chondrocyte. It has potential to repair local defect of articular cartilage in the future.