Differentiation of equine mesenchymal stem cells into cells of osteochondral lineage: potential for osteochondral tissue engineering.
Abstract: Damage to the hyaline cartilage of the joint surface and osteochondral fractures are key factors leading to the development of osteoarthritis in racehorses, representing a significant cause of racehorse retirement. To tissue-engineer an osteochondral unit that is suitable for joint repair, incorporation of a zone of calcified cartilage should be considered so as to mimic itscounterpart. To date, equine mesenchymal stem cells (eMSCs) have been reported to have multilineage differentiation potential. Yet the generation of a zone of calcified cartilage using eMSCs has not been reported. This work is an initial attempt to generate a zone of calcified cartilage using eMSCs as the single source of cells and collagen as the scaffolding material. Main advantages of using eMSCs over equine deep zone chondrocytes for the generation of a zone of calcified cartilage include no donor site morbidity and their ease of expansion in culture. Initially, we fabricated cartilage-like tissues and bone-like tissuesby differentiating eMSCs toward chondrogenic and osteogenic lineages for 21 d, respectively. We then aggregated the cartilage-like and bone-like tissues together with a layer of undifferentiated eMSCs-collagen gel in between to generate a 3-layer osteochondral unit. A zone of calcified cartilage was found between the cartilage-like and bone-like layers after a 14-day culture in chondrogenic differentiation medium. These results provide a solution toward tissue engineering of equine osteochondral units with interfacial zone without using chondrocytes harvested from the deep zone of healthy articular cartilage, and contribute to the future development of osteochondral tissue engineering strategies for human cartilage injuries in the long run.
© 2022 IOP Publishing Ltd.
Publication Date: 2022-09-06 PubMed ID: 36001983DOI: 10.1088/1748-605X/ac8c76Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research involves the differentiation of equine mesenchymal stem cells (eMSCs) into cells of the osteochondral lineage with the aim of contributing to the development of treatment strategies for osteochondral conditions in horses and potentially in humans.
Overview of the Research
- The research provides a potential solution for treatment of osteochondral conditions (damage to the cartilage and bone in joints) in racehorses and possibly in humans in the long run. These conditions often lead to the development of osteoarthritis, which often causes retirement in racehorses.
- The main focus was to generate differentiated cells that could mimic a zone of calcified cartilage, which is important for joint repair, using eMSCs and collagen as scaffolding material.
The Role of Equine Mesenchymal Stem Cells (eMSCs)
- eMSCs have shown potential to differentiate into multiple lineage cells. In this research, the eMSCs were used to generate tissues like cartilage and bone.
- Using eMSCs for this purpose offers advantages such as no donor site morbidity and easy expansion in culture.
- In this study, eMSCs were first differentiated into chondrogenic (cartilage-forming) and osteogenic (bone-forming) cells. Following this, the cartilage-like and bone-like tissues were aggregated with a layer of undifferentiated eMSC-collagen gel in between in order to create a three-layer osteochondral unit.
Creation of Zone of Calcified Cartilage and its Importance
- A zone of calcified cartilage is crucial for joint repair. The researchers were able to achieve this via culturing the three-layered osteochondral unit in chondrogenic differentiation medium for 14 days.
- This process of generating a zone of calcified cartilage using eMSCs has never been reported before, making this an important step forward in osteochondral tissue engineering.
Impact of the Study
- The study provides a significant contribution towards the tissue-engineering of equine osteochondral units. It outlines a method that doesn’t necessitate harvesting chondrocytes from healthy articular cartilage, therefore reducing the risk to the donor site.
- While the primary focus is on treatment strategies for racehorses, the findings and methods also have potential applications in human medicine, specifically in the treatment of cartilage injuries.
Cite This Article
APA
Cheng HW, Chik TK, Weir J, Chan BP.
(2022).
Differentiation of equine mesenchymal stem cells into cells of osteochondral lineage: potential for osteochondral tissue engineering.
Biomed Mater, 17(6).
https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-605X/ac8c76 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Biomedical Engineering Programme, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
- Living Tissues Company Limited, Unit 620, Biotech Centre 2, No. 11 Science Park West Avenue, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok, Hong Kong.
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Services, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Sha Tin Racecourse, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
- Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Biomedical Engineering Programme, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cartilage, Articular
- Cell Differentiation
- Chondrocytes
- Chondrogenesis
- Collagen / metabolism
- Horses
- Humans
- Mesenchymal Stem Cells
- Tissue Engineering / methods
- Tissue Scaffolds
Citations
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