Cartilage Tissue Engineering Using Electrospun PCL Nanofiber Meshes and MSCs

• Published in: Biomacromolecules Vol. 11; no. 12; pp. 3228 - 3236
• Main Authors: Alves da Silva, M. L, Martins, A, Costa-Pinto, A. R, Costa, P, Faria, S, Gomes, M, Reis, R. L, Neves, N. M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 13.12.2010
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Bioreactors; Cartilage - cytology; Cell Differentiation; Cells, Cultured; Collagen Type I; Collagen Type II; Exact sciences and technology; Fibers and threads; Fibroblasts - cytology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Humans; Medical sciences; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells - cytology; Nanofibers - chemistry; Polyesters; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Technology of polymers; Technology. Biomaterials. Equipments; Tissue Engineering - methods; Cell proliferation; Tissue engineering; Stem cell; Electrospinning; Nanofiber; Mesenchymal cell; Cell differentiation; Experimental study; Gene expression; Cartilage; Cell adhesion; Biomaterial; Manufacturing; Chondrogenesis; Polycaprolactone; Framework
• ISSN: 1525-7797; 1526-4602
• DOI: 10.1021/bm100476r

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been recognized for their ability to differentiate into cells of different tissues such as bone, cartilage, or adipose tissue, and therefore are of great interest for potential therapeutic strategies. Adherent, colony-forming, fibroblastic cells were isolated from human bone marrow aspirates, from patients undergoing knee arthroplasties, and the MSCs phenotype characterized by flow cytometry. Afterward, cells were seeded onto electrospun polycaprolactone nanofiber meshes and cultured in a multichamber flow perfusion bioreactor to determine their ability to produce cartilagineous extracellular matrix. Results indicate that the flow perfusion bioreactor increased the chondrogenic differentiation of hBM-MSCs, as confirmed either by morphological and RT-PCR analysis. Cartilage-related genes such as aggrecan, collagen type II, and Sox9 were expressed. ECM deposition was also detected by histological procedures. Collagen type II was present in the samples, as well as collagen type I. Despite no statistically significant values being obtained for gene expression, the other results support the choice of the bioreactor for this type of culture.