Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1986812 | International Journal of Biological Macromolecules | 2013 | 7 Pages |
Collagen hydrogels are widely used in cartilage tissue engineering for their mimicked chondrogenic environment. Due to the rapid degradation nature and weak mechanical property, collagen hydrogels are often cross-linked in application. In this work, collagen hydrogels were soaked into oxidized alginate solution which used as macromolecular cross-linker to prepare the cross-linked hydrogels. Soaking method could retain the self-assemble property of collagen and also bring in a cross-linking network. The compressive modulus and degradation properties of collagen hydrogels were ameliorated after cross-linked, and chondrocytes encapsulated in the cross-linked hydrogels proliferated well and maintained the cell phenotype. This study implied that collagen hydrogels cross-linked by oxidized alginate may have a great potential for application in cartilage tissue engineering.