Periosteum derived stem cells for regenerative medicine proposals: Boosting current knowledge

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedics and Regenerative Medicine
• Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
• Cell Biology and Mechanobiology

Background:

• The periosteum, a bone-covering fibrous layer, contains pluripotent cells (periosteum-derived progenitor cells or PDPCs) crucial for bone repair.
• PDPCs reside in a mechanically dynamic environment, influencing their behavior and regenerative capacity.
• Understanding periosteum's regenerative potential is a key focus in orthopaedics for tissue engineering applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current state of osteochondral tissue engineering using PDPCs.
• To explore upcoming research directions in periosteum-based regenerative strategies.
• To examine the role of mechanosensing, periostin, and microRNAs in PDPC function and bone regeneration.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of periosteal cell isolation, characterization, migration, and differentiation.
• Examination of cell mechanosensing mechanisms and their impact on bone tissue.
• Review of the role of periostin and microRNAs in PDPC survival and osteoblast differentiation.

Main Results:

• PDPCs are integral to osteochondral tissue engineering, contributing to matrix organization and bone strength.
• Mechanical stress upregulates periostin, preserving PDPC survival and bone integrity.
• MicroRNAs play a role in osteoblast differentiation and endogenous tissue repair.

Conclusions:

• Periosteum holds significant promise for guided bone regeneration and maxillofacial reconstruction.
• Periosteum can be utilized as a smart biomaterial to mimic extracellular matrix features.
• PDPCs may serve as a source for insulin-producing cells in allogeneic transplantation, pending immune privilege assessment.