title: The effect of high frequency electric field on enhancement of chondrogenesis in human adipose-derived stem cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Osteoarthritis (OA) is globally one of the most common diseases from the middle age onwards. Cartilage is an avascular tissue therefore it cannot be repaired in the body. Conservative treatments have failed as a good remedy and cell therapy as a decisive cure is needed. One of the best and easily accessible cell sources for this purpose is adipose-derived stem cells which can be differentiated into chondrocytes by tissue engineering techniques. Chemical and physical inducers have a key role in stem cell - chondrocyte differentiation. We have tried to determine the role of electric fields (EF) in promoting this kind of chondrogenesis process.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) were extracted from subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue during cesarean section. A high frequency (60 KHz) EF (20 mv/cm), as a physical inducer for chondrogenesis in a 3D micromass culture system of ADSCs was utilized. Also, MTT, ELISA, flow cytometry, and real-time PCR techniques were used for this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that using physical electric fields leads to chondrogenesis. Furthermore, results show that using both physical (EF) and chemical (TGFβ3) inducers simultaneously, has best outcomes in chondrogenesis, and expression of SOX(9) and type II collagen genes. It also causes significant decreased expression of type I and X collagen genes in pure EF group compared with control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The EF was found as a proper effective inducer in chondrogenic differentiation of human ADSCs micromass culture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Sciences, Medical School, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ebrahim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Esfandiari
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Sciences, Medical School, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Shiva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roshankhah
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Sciences, Medical School, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mardani
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Sciences, Medical School, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Batool
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hashemibeni
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, Engineering School, Isfahan University, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Erfan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Naghsh
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Medical School, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kazemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Sciences, Medical School, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammadreza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salahshoor
keywords: ADSCs; Chondrogenesis; High frequency electric field