Compressive strength of poly(l-lactide-co-glycolide) scaffolds seeded nucleus pulposus cells depending on pore size

Tissue engineering has the possible to improve upon current techniques for intervertebral disc repair. A key component in tissue engineering for disc regeneration is the scaffold that serves as a template for cell interaction and the formation of extracellular matrix to provide structural support to the newly formed tissue. Recently developed scaffolds, Poly(lactide-co-glycolide)(PLGA) most widely used due to its advantages such as good biocompatibility, controllable rate of degradation and metabolizable degradation products. We measured compression strength of scaffolds with various pores to select suitable pore for tissue-engineering bio-disc. PLGA scaffolds were prepared by solvent casting/salt-leaching. NP cell were harvested from the disc of adult female rabbit. These cells were seeded in prepared PLGA scaffold and cultured in DMEM mdeium supplimented, 10% FBS, 1% antibiotic antinycotics for 1, 4, 6 weeks. We Morphology of cellular adhesion and extracellular matrix production were confirmed by scanning electron microscope(SEM). According to our result, the compression strength of scaffold decreased with increasing porogen size.