Osteochondral regeneration with scaffold free 3D-structure of swine adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

本研究旨在研究三维构建的脂肪组织间充质干细胞(AT-MSCs)对关节软骨和软骨下骨的再生作用。将一个由大约760个球体组成的结构植入股骨滑车沟处的骨软骨缺损处，每个球体包含50,000个自体AT-MSCs。在手术后的CT图像中，骨和种植体之间的边界出现了一个不透射线的区域，并且在种植体中更稳定地向上和向内增加。6个月后的组织病理学检查显示，丰满的纤维软骨下有活跃的软骨内骨化。12个月后组织病理学检查显示，萎缩的纤维软骨不仅与周围的正常软骨一样厚，而且还观察到大量的软骨下骨。我们推测，无支架三维构建的AT-MSCs将诱导软骨和软骨下骨原始结构的再生。

This study was designed to investigate the regeneration of articular cartilage and subchondral bone using a three-dimensional (3D) construct of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSCs). A construct consisting of about 760 spheroids each containing 50,000 autologous AT-MSCs was implanted into an osteochondral defect at the femoral trochlear groove. In CT images after surgery, a radiopaque area emerged from the boundary between the bone and the implant and increased more steadily upward and inward in the implants. Histopathology of the implants after 6 months revealed active endochondral ossification underneath the plump fibrocartilage. Histopathology after 12 months showed that not only was the diminishing fibrocartilage as thick as the surrounding normal cartilage, but massive subchondral bone was also observed. We supposed that implantation of a scaffold-free 3D construct of AT-MSCs will induce regeneration of original structure of cartilage and subchondral bone.