title: Chondrogenic differentiation of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells in type I collagen-hydrogel for cartilage engineering.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A potent mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) population was recently isolated from the Wharton's jelly of human umbilical cord (UC). The aim of the current experiments was to determine the potential of human UC-derived MSC (UC-MSC) in cartilage healing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chondrogenic differentiation of collagen hydrogel-embedded cells was induced in standard chondrocyte conditioning medium and further detected by real-time PCR, histochemistry and immunohistochemistry analyses. Cell viability and apoptosis of the MSCs in the collagen I hydrogels were monitored using apoptosis detection kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cells isolated from UC were positive for MSC biomarkers and negative for haematopoietic lineage and endothelial biomarkers and possess the capacity to differentiate along osteogenic lineage. UC-MSCs embedded in collagen hydrogel can undergo chondrogenesis characterised by significantly increased expressions of collagen II, aggrecan, COMP (cartilage oligomeric matrix protein) and sox9 after exposed cells-embedded hydrogels to chondrogenic factors. The most of cells remained viable throughout the hydrogels after 3 weeks of cultivation in chondrogenic differentiation medium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Collagen hydrogel can provide an appropriate 3-D environment for the chondrogenesis of UC-MSCs. UC-MSCs embedded in biocompatible scaffold may have great potential for cartilage engineering.
authors: Department of Pharmacology and Biology, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, P.R. China. chenxuebin116@163.com
authors: Xuebin
authors: X
authors: Chen
authors: Fang
authors: F
authors: Zhang
authors: Xinhong
authors: X
authors: He
authors: Yinsheng
authors: Y
authors: Xu
authors: Zhiping
authors: Z
authors: Yang
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Chen
authors: Shaomei
authors: S
authors: Zhou
authors: Yishu
authors: Y
authors: Yang
authors: Zhixiang
authors: Z
authors: Zhou
authors: Wang
authors: W
authors: Sheng
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Zeng
mesh_terms: D002356:Cartilage / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002681:China; D020219:Chondrogenesis; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*; D059631:Wharton Jelly / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D020100:Hydrogels