Chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cell aggregates via controlled release of TGF‐β1 from incorporated polymer microspheres
- 25 March 2009
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A
- Vol. 92A (3), 1139-1144
- https://doi.org/10.1002/jbm.a.32440
Abstract
Aggregate culture is a useful method for inducing chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) in a three-dimensional in vitro culture environment. Conventional aggregate culture, however, typically requires repeated growth factor supplementation during media changes, which is both expensive and time-intensive. In addition, homogenous cell differentiation is limited by the diffusion of chondrogenic growth factor from the culture medium into the aggregate and peripheral cell consumption of the growth factor. We have engineered a technology to incorporate growth factor-loaded polymer microspheres within hMSC aggregates themselves. Here, we report on the system's capacity to induce chondrogenesis via sustained delivery of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Cartilage formation after 3 weeks in the absence of externally supplied growth factor approached that of aggregates cultured by conventional methods. Chondrogenesis in the central region of the aggregates is enabled at TGF-β1 levels much lower than those required by conventional culture using exogenously supplied TGF-β1, which is likely a result of the system's ability to overcome limitations of growth factor diffusion from cell culture media surrounding the exterior of the aggregates. Importantly, the inclusion of growth factor-releasing polymer microspheres in hMSC aggregates could enable in vivo chondrogenesis for cartilage tissue engineering applications without extensive in vitro culture. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2010This publication has 14 references indexed in Scilit:
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