Abstract
Objective: According to recent reports, the synovial membrane may contain mesenchymal stem cells with the potential to differentiate into chondrocytes under appropriate conditions. In order to assess the usefulness of synovium-derived progenitor cells for the purposes of cartilage tissue engineering, we explored their requirements for the expression of chondrocyte-specific genes after expansion in vitro. Design: Mesenchymal progenitor cells were isolated from the synovial membranes of bovine shoulder joints and expanded in two-dimensions on plastic surfaces. They were then seeded either as micromass cultures or as single cells within alginate gels, which were cultured in serum-free medium. Under these three-dimensional conditions, chondrogenesis is known to be supported and maintained. Cell cultures were exposed either to bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) or to isoforms of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). The levels of mRNA for Sox9, collagen types I and II and aggrecan were determined by RT-PCR. Results: When transferred to alginate gel cultures, the fibroblast-like synovial cells assumed a rounded form. BMP-2, but not isoforms of TGF-β, stimulated, in a dose-dependent manner, the production of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) for Sox9, type II collagen and aggrecan. Under optimal conditions, the expression levels of cartilage-specific genes were comparable to those within cultured articular cartilage chondrocytes. However, in contrast to cultured articular cartilage chondrocytes, synovial cells exposed to BMP-2 continued to express the mRNA for α1(I) collagen. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that bovine synovium-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells can be induced to express chondrocyte-specific genes. However, the differentiation process is not complete under the chosen conditions. The stimulation conditions required for full transformation must now be delineated.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 527-536 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Osteoarthritis and Cartilage |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2005 Jun |
Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This project was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation, Bern, Switzerland, and by the Novartis Foundation, Basel, Switzerland (grants to EBH).
Keywords
- BMP-2
- Chondrogenesis
- Differentiation
- Synoviocytes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Rheumatology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Orthopedics and Sports Medicine