Behavior of Encapsulated Saos-2 Cells within Gelatin Methacrylate Hydrogels

Abstract

The field of tissue engineering is still seeking a viable substitute to repair and replace damaged bone using a combination of porous implants, biochemical factors, and relevant cell types. While progress in this field has been made, current engineered solutions have not been able to mimic the architectural and biological requirements needed to provide a complete solution. In this work, bone-like human osteosarcoma cells were encapsulated inside gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) hydrogels of three different weight/volume (w/v) concentrations and stimulated to form mineral in order to determine the relationship between both bone formation and cellular activity with matrix stiffness. Distinct differences between cell morphology and mineral formation were found within the three types of hydrogels. Softer, less dense constructs were shown to provide a more cell friendly microenvironment that promoted dispersed mineral formation while stiffer, dense constructs provided a more structured environment for uniform bone-mineral formation. Additionally, while cells were able to function in all three types of hydrogels, cells in the softer GelMA constructs were shown to grow in large colonies within the gelatin matrix while cells in the stiffer GelMA constructs tended to aggregate and grow along the construct peripheries.