A partition-type tubular scaffold loaded with PDGF-releasing microspheres for spinal cord repair facilitates the directional migration and growth of cells

The best tissue-engineered spinal cord grafts not only match the structural characteristics of the spinal cord but also allow the seed cells to grow and function in situ. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) has been shown to promote the migration of bone marrow stromal cells; however, cytokines need to be released at a steady rate to maintain a stable concentration in vivo. Therefore, new methods are needed to maintain an optimal concentration of cytokines over an extended period of time to effectively promote seed cell localization, proliferation and differentiation. In the present study, a partition-type tubular scaffold matching the anatomical features of the thoracic 8–10 spinal cord of the rat was fabricated using chitosan and then subsequently loaded with chitosan-encapsulated PDGF-BB microspheres (PDGF-MSs). The PDGF-MS-containing scaffold was then examined in vitro for sustained-release capacity, biocompatibility, and its effect on neural progenitor cells differentiated in vitro from multilineage-differentiating stress-enduring cells (MUSE-NPCs). We found that pre-freezing for 2 hours at −20°C significantly increased the yield of partition-type tubular scaffolds, and 30 μL of 25% glutaraldehyde ensured optimal crosslinking of PDGF-MSs. The resulting PDGF-MSs cumulatively released 52% of the PDGF-BB at 4 weeks in vitro without burst release. The PDGF-MS-containing tubular scaffold showed suitable biocompatibility towards MUSE-NPCs and could promote the directional migration and growth of these cells. These findings indicate that the combination of a partition-type tubular scaffold, PDGF-MSs and MUSE-NPCs may be a promising model for the fabrication of tissue-engineered spinal cord grafts.