Functional Chondrocytes From hMSCs: Comparison of Different Factor Eluting Matrices

Objectives: Often the treatment of an unrelentingly painful and debilitating temporomandibular disorder is the surgical removal of the disc. Unfortunately, there are no reconstructive techniques that can faithfully replace the native diseased tissues that are ablated. It is hoped that the evolving field of biotechnology and bioengineering can help to improve this diffcult scenario.
Methods: Culturing on tridimensional matrices composed of electrospun self-assembling peptides (SAPs), this material is imbued with vascular endothelial growth factor and mitogenic factors that are gradually released by the degrading SAPs and combinations of supporting cells of stromal nature and endothelial cells. The best conditions emerging from this initial screening will be used to prepare progressively more mature and active cell preparations that will eventually be tested in appropriate in vivo degenerative cartilage
Results: Our presentation will describe an in vitro model that uses cultured human mesenchymal stem cells in which the activity of such cells with respect to their proliferation, migration, differentiation into chondrogenic cells and their maturation into full blown functional cells will be assessed under different experimental conditions in cell culture.
Conclusions: Employing biomimetic nanomaterials with factor eluting qualities maybe the most ideal system to grow mature and stable chondrocyes with the goal of creating an implantible cartilage tissue.