Towards bioinspired hydrogels mimicking the structure of articular cartilage

To structure these hydrogels, an innovative process combining frontal ultrafiltration, low-frequency ultrasound, and UV photopolymerization was implemented. To characterize the hydrogel organization, SAXS experiments were conducted both ex situ and in situ under compression/relaxation at the ESRF. These experiments demonstrated that the orthotropic organization of the NCC, previously achieved in an aqueous suspension, was preserved in the presence of the polymer and after photopolymerization. The hydrogels also exhibit elastic behavior with a Young’s modulus close to that of native articular cartilage.

These results, published as a Communication in Nanoscale, demonstrate that it is possible to reproduce the nanoscale structure and mechanical properties of cartilage, opening new perspectives for the design of bioinspired materials for regenerative medicine.