DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2019.v07i05.005

Pages: 257–268

The potential of the scaffolds to make the cells to differentiate into a higher level of maturation is ‎an essential ‎factor. The high-density culture methods such as cell aggregation are found to improve ‎the maturation of the ‎osteochondral bioengineered tissues. In this research, we utilized the cell aggregation ‎of rat ‎mesenchymal stem cells in soft and stiff agarose concentration for assessment of the ‎osteogenic and ‎chondrogenic differentiation in the static and dynamic environment. The ‎displacement of aggregates was ‎tracked via Optical Coherence Elastography in the presence of ‎hydrostatic force while the overall young’s ‎modulus of the tissues was assessed via conventional ‎mechanical testing. It was found that the usage of 4% of ‎agarose and application of dynamic shear ‎force to the cells could improve the stiffness and the ‎glycosaminoglycan content of the ‎bioengineered tissues. This study showed that the stiffness of the aggregate ‎can be dependent on the ‎size of the aggregate particles. The increase in mechanical properties of the ‎aggregates, higher ‎expression of glycosaminoglycan and the stiffness of the engineered tissues can be ‎regarded as ‎signs of maturity.