[Application of human adipose-derived stromal cells in bone tissue engineering]

Human adipose-derived stromal cells (hASCs) can be obtained from adipose tissues that offer an abundant and easily accessible pool of stem cells. Thus, hASCs have become a highly attractive source of seed cells in bone tissue engineering and have promising prospects in bone regeneration. Since 2002, our research group has performed a series of experiments on hASCs and its application in bone tissue engineering, including: to substitute dexamethasone by 1,25 (OH)₂ vitamin D₃ to induce osteogenic differentiation of hASCs; to explore the effect of epigenetic regulation and to inflammation on the osteogenic differentiation of hASCs; to construct a novel and simple tissue engineered bone system by hASCs and human platelet-rich plasma (hPRP) and to investigate the bone formation capability of this tissue engineered bone and the stimulatory effect of simvastatin. Our results suggested that 1,25 (OH)₂ vitamin D₃ could replace dexamethasone to induce the osteogenic differentiation of hASCs; retinoblastoma binding protein 2 (RBP2), as one of histone demethylases, could regulate the osteogenic differentiation of hASCs epigenetically while tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), as a inflammatory factor, could also influence the osteogenic differentiation of hASCs. Moreover, we found that in vivo bone formation could be detected by our novel tissue engineered bone composed with hASCs and hPRP; simvastatin could enhance the bone formation capability of this tissue-engineered structure.