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Structured three‐dimensional co‐culture of mesenchymal stem cells with meniscus cells promotes meniscal phenotype without hypertrophy
Author(s) -
Cui Xiaofeng,
Hasegawa Akihiko,
Lotz Martin,
D'Lima Darryl
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.24495
Subject(s) - mesenchymal stem cell , phenotype , meniscus , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , muscle hypertrophy , stem cell , pathology , biology , medicine , endocrinology , biochemistry , physics , gene , incidence (geometry) , optics
Menisci play a crucial role in weight distribution, load bearing, shock absorption, lubrication, and nutrition of articular cartilage within the knee joint. Damage to the meniscus typically does not heal spontaneously due to its partial avascular nature. Partial or complete meniscectomy is a common clinical treatment of the defective meniscus. However, this procedure ultimately leads to osteoarthritis due to increased mechanical stress to the articular cartilage. Meniscus tissue engineering offers a promising solution for partial or complete meniscus deficiency. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have the potential to differentiate into meniscal fibrochondrocyte as well as deliver trophic effects to the differentiated cells. This study tested the feasibility of using MSC co‐cultured with mature meniscal cells (MC) for meniscus tissue engineering. Structured cell pellets were created using MC and MSC at varying ratios (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100) and cultured with or without transforming growth factor‐beta 3 supplemented chondrogenic media for 21 days. The meniscal and hypertrophic gene expression, gross appearance and structure of the pellets, meniscus extracellular matrix (ECM), histology and immunohistochemistry of proteoglycan and collagen were evaluated. Co‐culture of MC with MSC at 75:25 demonstrated highest levels of collagen type I and glycosaminoglycans (GAG) production, as well as the lowest levels of hypertrophic genes, such as COL10A1 and MMP13. All co‐culture conditions showed better meniscus ECM production and hypertrophic inhibition as compared to MSC culture alone. The collagen fiber bundles observed in the co‐cultures are important to produce heterogenic ECM structure of meniscus. In conclusion, co‐culturing MC and MSC is a feasible and efficient approach to engineer meniscus tissue with enhanced ECM production without hypertrophy. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012;109: 2369–2380. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.