ABSTRACT
Cells constantly sense and receive chemical and physical signals from neighboring cells, interstitial fluid, and extracellular matrix, which they integrate and translate into intracellular responses. Thus, the nature of the surface on which cells are cultured in vitro plays an important role for cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. Autologs chondrocyte implantation is considered the treatment of choice for larger cartilage defects in the knee. To obtain a sufficient number of chondrocytes for implantation multiple passaging is often needed, which raises concerns about the changes in the chondrogenic phenotype. In the present study, we analyzed the effect at cellular and molecular level of precipitant induced porosity augmentation (PIPA) of polystyrene surfaces on proliferation and differentiation of human chondrocytes. Human chondrocytes were isolated from healthy patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and cultured on PIPA modified polystyrene surfaces. Microscopical analysis revealed topographically arranged porosity with micron pores and nanometer pits. Chondrocytes cultured on PIPA surfaces revealed no difference in cell viability and proliferation, but gene- and protein expressions of collagen type II were pronounced in the first passage of chondrocytes when compared to chondrocytes cultured on control surfaces. Additionally, an analysis of 40 kinases revealed that chondrocytes expanded on PIPA caused upregulated PI3K/mTOR pathway activation and inhibition of mTORC1 resulted in reduced sGAG synthesis. These findings indicate that PIPA modified polystyrene preserved the chondrogenicity of expanded human chondrocytes at gene and protein levels, which clinically may be attractive for the next generation of cell-culture surfaces for ex vivo cell growth. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 3073-3081, 2016.
Subject(s)
Biocompatible Materials/chemistry , Chemical Precipitation , Chondrocytes/cytology , Chondrogenesis , Dioxanes/chemistry , Polystyrenes/chemistry , Cell Differentiation , Cell Proliferation , Cells, Cultured , Chondrocytes/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation , Humans , Porosity , Protein Kinases/metabolism , Surface PropertiesABSTRACT
The combination of modern interventional and preventive medicine has led to an epidemic of ageing. While this phenomenon is a positive consequence of an improved lifestyle and achievements in a society, the longer life expectancy is often accompanied by decline in quality of life due to musculoskeletal pain and disability. The Aarhus Regenerative Orthopaedics Symposium (AROS) 2015 was motivated by the need to address regenerative challenges in an ageing population by engaging clinicians, basic scientists, and engineers. In this position paper, we review our contemporary understanding of societal, patient-related, and basic science-related challenges in order to provide a reasoned roadmap for the future to deal with this compelling and urgent healthcare problem.
