University of Alberta, Department of Surgery, Divisions of Orthopaedic Surgery and Surgical Research, Edmonton, T6G 2E1, Canada.
Division of Burn and Reconstructive Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
Sci Rep. 2017 Sep 22;7(1):12148. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-12096-x.
Meniscus fibrochondrocytes (MFCs) may be the optimal cell source to repair non-healing meniscus injuries using tissue engineering strategies. In this study, we investigated the effects of mitotic divisions and oxygen tension on the plasticity of adult human MFCs. Our assessment techniques included gene expression, biochemical, histological, and immunofluorescence assays. MFCs were expanded in monolayer culture with combined growth factors TGFβ1 and FGF-2 (T1F2) under normoxia (21% O). Trilineage (adipogenesis, chondrogenesis and osteogenesis) differentiation was performed under both normoxic (21% O) and hypoxic (3% O) conditions. The data demonstrated that MFCs with a mean total population doubling of 10 can undergo adipogenesis and chondrogenesis. This capability was enhanced under hypoxic conditions. The MFCs did not undergo osteogenesis. In conclusion, our findings suggest that extensively expanded human MFCs have the capacity to generate tissues with the functional matrix characteristics of avascular meniscus. To this end, expanded MFCs may be an ideal cell source for engineering functional constructs for the replacement or repair of avascular meniscus.
半月板纤维软骨细胞（MFCs）可能是利用组织工程策略修复非愈合性半月板损伤的最佳细胞来源。在这项研究中，我们研究了有丝分裂分裂和氧张力对成人人类 MFCs 可塑性的影响。我们的评估技术包括基因表达、生化、组织学和免疫荧光分析。MFCs 在常氧（21% O）下与生长因子 TGFβ1 和 FGF-2（T1F2）联合培养的单层培养中扩增。三系（脂肪生成、软骨生成和成骨）分化在常氧（21% O）和低氧（3% O）条件下进行。数据表明，平均总倍增 10 的 MFCs 可以进行脂肪生成和软骨生成。在低氧条件下，这种能力得到了增强。MFCs 不会进行成骨。总之，我们的研究结果表明，广泛扩增的人 MFCs 具有生成具有血管化半月板功能基质特征的组织的能力。为此，扩增的 MFCs 可能是用于替代或修复血管化半月板的功能性构建体的理想细胞来源。
