Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) is used as a promising method in surface modification for immobilization of chondroitin sulfate functional biomacromolecules on PCL nanofibrous substrates for cartilage tissue engineering. The GAG-grafted scaffolds are able to successfully support the attachment and proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The seeded scaffolds show the chondro-differentiation of MSCs during a 21-days cell culture in a non-differential medium. Expression of SOX9, Collagen10 and Collagen2 proved the chondro-inductive effect of GAG-grafted scaffolds. Besides, no external chondro-genic differential agent was used in the differentiation of MSCs to chondrocyte. The cells passed the last phase of chondrogenesis after 14 days of incubation. Thus, the GAG-fabricated fibrous scaffolds using CAP are potential candidates for cartilage tissue engineering.
Keywords: Chondroitin sulfate; Cold atmospheric plasma; Grafting; Nanofibers; PCL.
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