title: Mesenchymal stem cells and bioceramics: strategies to regenerate the skeleton.
abstract: Bone is formed by cells called osteoblasts, which arise from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The cells are known to exist in thin tissues surrounding bone (periosteum) and bone marrow, but the population is extremely small. The number of marrow-derived MSCs can be expanded using tissue culture techniques. These culture-expanded MSCs have the in vitro capacity to differentiate into osteoblasts. Importantly, the cultured osteoblasts can form extracellular matrix in culture. This matrix consists of fine crystals of hydroxyapatite comparable to natural bone mineral, as evidenced by X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. It is possible to fabricate the osteoblasts/ bone matrix on the surface of bioceramics. Thus in vitro cultured bone can show further bone-forming capability after in vivo implantation. We have begun studying this tissue-engineering approach in patients with skeletal problems. This paper describes this and other approaches using MSCs to regenerate skeletal tissue.
authors.affiliation: Tissue Engineering Research Center (TERC), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 3-11-46 Nakouji, Amagasaki City, Hyogo 661-0794, Japan.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohgushi
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miyake
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tateishi
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000502:physiology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000637:transplantation; D002516:Ceramics; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D017886:Durapatite; D006801:Humans; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology*; D016348:Osseointegration; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D016062:Porosity; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D012038:Regeneration; D012449:Safety; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D017886:Durapatite