Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are an attractive cell source for tissue engineering, and recently a modified aggregate culture of human ADSCs (hADSCs) was established based on preparation of three-dimensional (3D) cell aggregates in growth factor-enriched low serum medium using the hanging droplet method. Growth and differentiation factor 5 (GDF5) plays a critical role in chondrogenesis and...

The bones of the vertebrate limb form by the process of endochondral ossification, whereby limb mesenchyme condenses to form an intermediate cartilage scaffold that is then replaced by bone. Although Indian hedgehog (IHH) is known to control hypertophic differentiation of chondrocytes during this process, the role of hedgehog signaling in the earlier stages of chondrogenesis is less clear. We h...

Background and Aims: The current study was conducted to compare the expression levels of collagen type Π and X during chondrogenesis of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADMSCs) pellet and micromass cultures.  Materials and Methods: Extracted hADMSCs were cultured until three passages and then transferred to pellet and micromass cultures in the experimental groups of day 7 and day...

INTRODUCTION Structural alterations in intra-articular and subchondral compartments are hallmarks of osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease that causes pain and disability in the aging population. Protein kinase C delta (PKC-δ) plays versatile functions in cell growth and differentiation, but its role in the articular cartilage and subchondral bone is not known. METHODS Histological analysis ...

Cell adhesion molecules have been shown to be important mediators of morphogenesis and pattern formation. In this study, we have shown that N-cadherin is expressed in a specific spatiotemporal manner in the developing limb bud during chondrogenesis in vivo and in cultured limb mesenchyme in vitro. The time period of maximal expression of N-cadherin corresponds to the period of active cellular c...

Received: 25/Sep/2006, Accepted: 22/Nov/2006 Introduction: The aim of this study was to differentiate human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) into cartilage in a micromass culture system and study of their structure by light and electron microscopy. Material and Methods: Human bone marrow cells obtained from volunteer patients were plated in 75-cm flasks and their MSCs were expanded through severa...

Embryonic skeletogenesis involves proliferation, condensation and subsequent chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal precursor cells, and the strains and stresses inherent to these processes have been hypothesized to influence skeletal development. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of growth-mimicking strain on the process of early skeletal development in vitro. To this end,...

OBJECTIVES Osteoarthritis (OA) is globally one of the most common diseases from the middle age onwards. Cartilage is an avascular tissue therefore it cannot be repaired in the body. Conservative treatments have failed as a good remedy and cell therapy as a decisive cure is needed. One of the best and easily accessible cell sources for this purpose is adipose-derived stem cells which can be diff...

Cartilage regeneration is a fast growing field that combines biotechnology and molecular techniques in creating new tissue mimicking the native microenvironment. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are a highly potent cell source for cartilage regeneration owing to their infinite proliferation capacity and pluripotency. Thus, lineage-specific differentiation of hESCs often results in populations...