title: Effects of growth factors on equine synovial fibroblasts seeded on synthetic scaffolds for avascular meniscal tissue engineering.
abstract: Across species, the avascular portion of the knee meniscus cannot heal spontaneously if severely injured. The most common treatment is meniscectomy which results in osteoarthritis. The objective of this study was to assess the fibrochondrogenic potential of equine fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) seeded on scaffolds under the influence of growth factors in vitro to determine the potential of developing a novel cell-based repair strategy. Cultured FLS were seeded onto synthetic scaffolds in a rotating bioreactor under the influence of three growth factor regimens: none, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) alone, and bFGF plus transforming growth factor (TGF-beta(1)) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). Constructs were analyzed for mRNA expression and production of fibrochondroid extracellular matrix constituents. Type II collagen and aggrecan mRNA were significantly higher in growth factor-treated groups (p<0.05). Despite sub-optimal extracellular matrix production, FLS can exhibit fibrochondral characteristics and may have potential for cell-based tissue engineering for avascular meniscal regeneration.
authors.affiliation: The Comparative Orthopaedic Laboratory, University of Missouri, 900 East Campus Drive, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. foxdb@missouri.edu
authors.forename: Derek B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Warnock
authors.forename: Aaron M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Stoker
authors.forename: Jill K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Luther
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cockrell
mesh_terms: D053674:Aggrecans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006736:Horses / Q000502:physiology*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000662:veterinary*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D053674:Aggrecans; D024043:Collagen Type II; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I