Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedics, West Virginia University, 64 Medical Center Drive, PO Box 9196, Morgantown, WV, 26506-9196, USA.
Department of Orthopaedics, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, 610083, Sichuan, China.
Biol Sex Differ. 2023 Apr 5;14(1):17. doi: 10.1186/s13293-023-00500-3.
Despite acknowledgement in the scientific community of sex-based differences in cartilage biology, the implications for study design remain unclear, with many studies continuing to arbitrarily assign demographics. Clinically, it has been well-established that males and females differ in cartilage degeneration, and accumulating evidence points to the importance of sex differences in the field of cartilage repair. However, a comprehensive review of the mechanisms behind this trend and the influence of sex on cartilage regeneration has not yet been presented. This paper aims to summarize current findings regarding sex-dependent variation in knee anatomy, sex hormones' effect on cartilage, and cartilaginous degeneration and regeneration, with a focus on stem cell therapies. Findings suggest that the stem cells themselves, as well as their surrounding microenvironment, contribute to sex-based differences. Accordingly, this paper underscores the contribution of both stem cell donor and recipient sex to sex-related differences in treatment efficacy. Cartilage regeneration is a field that needs more research to optimize strategies for better clinical results; taking sex into account could be a big factor in developing more effective and personalized treatments. The compilation of this information emphasizes the importance of investing further research in sex differences in cartilage biology.
尽管科学界已经认识到软骨生物学中的性别差异，但这对研究设计的影响仍不清楚，许多研究仍在任意分配人口统计学数据。临床上，已经证实男性和女性在软骨退变方面存在差异，越来越多的证据表明性别差异在软骨修复领域很重要。然而，目前还没有对这一趋势背后的机制以及性别对软骨再生的影响进行全面的综述。本文旨在总结目前关于膝关节解剖、性激素对软骨的影响以及软骨退变和再生的性别依赖性变化的研究结果，重点介绍干细胞疗法。研究结果表明，干细胞本身及其周围的微环境都会导致性别差异。因此，本文强调了干细胞供体和受体性别对治疗效果性别差异的贡献。软骨再生是一个需要更多研究的领域，以优化策略，获得更好的临床结果；考虑到性别因素可能是开发更有效和个性化治疗方法的一个重要因素。这些信息的汇编强调了进一步研究软骨生物学性别差异的重要性。
