Decellularized Cartilage Powder Scaffold for Osteochondral Repair

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cartilage repair techniques face challenges in effectively treating osteochondral defects due to the poor intrinsic healing ability of articular cartilage and limitations in existing stimulation and replacement strategies, including inferior mechanical qualities of fibrocartilage and donor site morbidity.

Innovation Solution

Decellularized cartilage tissue powder is used as a raw material for scaffolds, providing a microenvironment similar to native cartilage, which is chondroinductive and stimulates bone marrow stem cell responses, including cell attachment, differentiation, and tissue regeneration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If stimulation techniques are used to bring mesenchymal progenitors to differentiate and repopulate the defect, then short-term results are improved, but the repair tissue eventually fails due to inferior structural and mechanical qualities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshort-term repair qualityVSAvoidmechanical qualities of repair tissue

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-processing cartilage tissue through decellularization before implantation. The decellularized cartilage matrix is prepared in advance to provide a scaffold that guides proper tissue regeneration, ensuring both short-term viability and long-term mechanical strength by establishing the correct structural framework before cells are introduced

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The decellularized cartilage matrix serves as an intermediary between the defect site and the regenerating tissue. This intermediate scaffold provides the necessary structural support and biochemical cues that guide mesenchymal progenitor cells to differentiate into hyaline cartilage, bridging the gap between initial cell recruitment and final tissue maturation with proper mechanical properties

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Duration of action of stationary object

If replacement strategies using autologous cartilage are used to fill the defect, then long-term durability is improved, but donor site-associated morbidity and tissue scarcity occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelong-term durability of repairVSAvoiddonor site morbidity

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the extraction principle by removing cells from donor cartilage tissue while retaining the extracellular matrix. This separation allows the matrix to be used as a scaffold for regeneration without requiring harvesting additional tissue from the donor site, eliminating donor site morbidity while preserving the long-term durability benefits of autologous tissue

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the state of the cartilage tissue from living tissue to decellularized matrix through chemical and physical processing. This parameter change transforms the tissue into a scaffold that maintains the biochemical and structural properties necessary for long-term durability while eliminating the need for additional donor tissue harvesting

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If synthetic polymer components are used to form hydrogels or porous matrices for scaffolds, then scaffold structural control is improved, but the microenvironment similarity to native cartilage is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescaffold structural controlVSAvoidmicroenvironment similarity to native cartilage

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite material by combining the structural control of processed cartilage matrix with the biochemical authenticity of native extracellular matrix components. The decellularized cartilage scaffold integrates collagen fibers, proteoglycans, and other native matrix elements in their natural hierarchical arrangement, providing both manufacturing precision and microenvironment similarity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

4Reliability

If decellularized cartilage powder is used as a raw material for scaffolds, then chondroinductive properties are improved, but the complexity of the decellularization process increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechondroinductive capabilityVSAvoiddecellularization process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the cartilage tissue into smaller particles or powder form during the decellularization process. This segmentation increases the surface area for chemical reagent penetration, enabling more efficient and thorough decellularization while preserving the chondroinductive properties of the extracellular matrix components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10722614B2Decellularized hyaline cartilage powder for tissue scaffolds

Publication Date: 2020.07.28 UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

AI summary

The present invention is related to compositions comprising decellularized cartilage tissue powder in the forms of paste, putty, hydrogel, and scaffolds, methods of making compositions, and methods of using these compositions for treating osteochondral defects and full- or partial-thickness cartilage defects.