Electrical and mechanical stimulation of hyaline cartilage: Characterisation of biological response and different stimulation parameters (C02)

• Subject Area: Orthopaedics, Traumatology, Reconstructive Surgery ; Biomaterials
• Term: since 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 299150580

In the project, the influence of biophysical stimulation on chondrogenic differentiation will be investigated in an animal model. Cell-seeded hydrogels and collagen scaffolds will be electro-mechanically stimulated ex vivo and subsequently implanted in a chondral defect model of the rabbit knee. Afterwards, the repair and the viscoelastic behaviour of regenerated articular cartilage tissue will be evaluated. Furthermore, tissue-specific differentiation and intercellular signalling pathways will be analysed in vitro in multifunctional osteochondral scaffolds by application of biophysical stimulation. In addition, research on an electrostimulative implant system for the in situ treatment of osteochondral lesions will be performed with regard to design, electric field simulation and experimental validation.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1270: ELectrically Active ImplaNts - ELAINE
• Applicant Institution: Universität Rostock
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Rainer Bader; Privatdozentin Dr. Anika Jonitz-Heincke, since 7/2021; Professor Dr.-Ing. Hermann Seitz