Formulation of polysaccharidic hydrogels for the development of chondral structures by additive manufacture

Articular cartilage lesions and defects cause a great amount of pain and compromises mobility. This tissue has limited repair and regeneration ability because of its low number of cells and poor vascularization. Therefore, tissue engineering strategies have been increasingly explored to provide alternative therapeutic approaches for this type of lesion. In this sense, the purpose of the present work was to evaluate the use of two polysaccharides, alginate and xanthan gum, as constituents of a possible bioink useful for three-dimensional (3D) printing of implantable chondral-like structures containing cells and growth factors.