Diferenciación del cartílago articular y osteoartritis / Joint cartilage differentiation and osteoarthritis

Durante el desarrollo del esqueleto, los mecanismos de formación, diferenciación y maduración del cartílago son pasos importantes en la morfogénesis del esqueleto, pues regulan el crecimiento de los huesos largos y la formación de las articulaciones. El cartílago de la placa de crecimiento y el cartílago articular tienen diferencias relevantes en los mecanismos de diferenciación, la mayor tasa de proliferación y maduración de los condrocitos de la placa de crecimiento regula el crecimiento de los huesos largos y el reemplazo de cartílago por hueso, mientras que el retraso de la maduración y la hipertrofia de los condrocitos mantienen el cartílago articular. Posiblemente, la maduración del cartílago articular se activa e incrementa durante la osteoartritis, lo que deja una articulación sin las propiedades biomecánicas requeridas para resistir los impactos que el movimiento del esqueleto implica (AU)

During skeletal development, the mechanisms of formation, differentiation and maturation of the cartilage are important steps in the skeleton morphogenesis; these mechanisms regulate growth of long bones and joint formation. Although cartilage in the growth plate and articular cartilage are very similar, they have some differences in the differentiation mechanisms. Growth plate cartilage regulates the growth of long bones by cartilage substitution of bone, while articular cartilage is maintained by delay of chondrocyte maturation and hypertrophy. Maybe, the mechanism of cartilage maturation is activated and increased during osteoarthritis, resulting in loss of the biomechanical properties required by the joints to resist the impact required by the skeleton to move (AU)

Ingeniería de tejidos y osteoartritis / Tissue engineering and osteoarthritis

Las lesiones de cartílago articular predisponen al desarrollo precoz de osteoartritis. La mayoría de las técnicas quirúrgicas actuales para el tratamiento de lesiones condrales dan lugar a la formación de fibrocartílago con propiedades bioquímicas y biomecánicas inferiores a las del cartílago articular. La ingeniería de tejidos puede ofrecer una alternativa moderna para el tratamiento de estas lesiones y de esta forma prevenir el desarrollo de osteoartritis en pacientes jóvenes activos. Existen diferentes alternativas en cuanto al tipo de células para implantar como tratamiento, ya sean el actual uso de condrocitos autólogos o células troncales mesenquimales. La otra variable es el tipo de andamio sobre el cual cultivar o sembrar la células para su implante: materiales sintéticos biocompatibles y bioabsorbibles, los derivados de fibrina o de colágeno de diferentes fuentes (bovina, porcina, de cola de rata, etc.), en forma de geles, esponjas, mallas, etc., y todas ellas con o sin la adición de factores de crecimiento. En la actualidad, el uso de condrocitos autólogos es una realidad, ya sea inyectados en suspensión bajo un parche de periostio o sembrados en colágeno. Casi todos los investigadores y las empresas de biotecnología están buscando técnicas para las que no se requieran dos intervenciones quirúrgicas, por lo cual muy probablemente habrá que pensar en células troncales y con sistemas de implantación artroscópicos (AU)

Articular cartilage lesions predispose to the development of early osteoarthritis. Most current surgical techniques give rise to the formation of fibrocartilage with biochemical and biomechanical properties inferior to those or articular cartilage. Tissue engineering could offer modern alternative to the treatment of these lesions and in this way, prevent the development of early osteoarthritis in young active patients. Different tissue engineering approaches rely on the current use of autologous chondrocytes, or the potential use of mesenchymal stem cells. Other variables rely on the type of scaffold to use such as synthetic biodegradable polymers, fibrin or collagen-derived scaffolds of different sources, bovine, porcine, rat tail, etc, in the form of gels, sponges, mesh, etc, and all of these with or without growth factors. The use of autologous chondrocytes is a reality at the present time, whether injected under a periosteum patch or seeded on collagen. However, most investigators and biotech companies are in search of onestep surgical procedures, for which reason stem cells have to be kept in mind, as well as systems that will allow arthroscopic implantation (AU)

[Tissue engineering and osteoarthritis]. / Ingeniería de tejidos y osteoartritis.

Articular cartilage lesions predispose to the development of early osteoarthritis. Most current surgical techniques give rise to the formation of fibrocartilage with biochemical and biomechanical properties inferior to those or articular cartilage. Tissue engineering could offer a modern alternative to the treatment of these lesions and in this way, prevent the development of early osteoarthritis in young active patients. Different tissue engineering approaches rely on the current use of autologous chondrocytes, or the potential use of mesenchymal stem cells. Other variables rely on the type of scaffold to use such as synthetic biodegradable polymers, fibrin or collagen-derived scaffolds of different sources, bovine, porcine, rat tail, etc, in the form of gels, sponges, mesh, etc, and all of these with or without growth factors. The use of autologous chondrocytes is a reality at the present time, whether injected under a periosteum patch or seeded on collagen. However, most investigators and biotech companies are in search of onestep surgical procedures, for which reason stem cells have to be kept in mind, as well as systems that will allow arthroscopic implantation.

[Joint cartilage differentiation and osteoarthritis]. / Diferenciación del cartílago articular y osteoartritis.

During skeletal development, the mechanisms of formation, differentiation and maturation of the cartilage are important steps in the skeleton morphogenesis; these mechanisms regulate growth of long bones and joint formation. Although cartilage in the growth plate and articular cartilage are very similar, they have some differences in the differentiation mechanisms. Growth plate cartilage regulates the growth of long bones by cartilage substitution of bone, while articular cartilage is maintained by delay of chondrocyte maturation and hypertrophy. Maybe, the mechanism of cartilage maturation is activated and increased during osteoarthritis, resulting in loss of the biomechanical properties required by the joints to resist the impact required by the skeleton to move.