This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The objective of this work is to evaluate the ability of a bioelastic polymer to act as a scaffold and support articular cartilage repair in an osteochondral defect in a goat model. Goat knees undergo a bilateral procedure to create a large cartilage defect on the femoral condyle; one side is filled with a custom synthesized biopolymer while the other side is left unfilled. The timecourse of cartilage changes in the defect will be determined by gross grading of the joint surfaces, histological evaluation and semi-quantitative grading of MRI and X-ray images following three and six months of healing. The results of this study are expected to suggest the feasibility of this biopolymer formulation to promote articular cartilage repair. MRI is currently the only non-invasive tool for evaluating cartilage changes that is acceptable for clinical evaluations of cartilage therapies, other than self-administered patient assessments. The proposed MRI studies are important for translating findings from this animal study to the human clinical situation.
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