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Published on: May 21, 2013
Endogenous Tissue Engineering for Chondral and Osteochondral Regeneration: Strategies and Mechanisms
Yanan Zhang1, Jialin Chen1,2,3, Yuzhi Sun4
1School of Medicine, Southeast University, 210009 Nanjing, China.
Abstract:
Increasing attention has been paid to the development of effective strategies for articular cartilage (AC) and osteochondral (OC) regeneration due to their limited self-reparative capacities and the shortage of timely and appropriate clinical treatments. Traditional cell-dependent tissue engineering faces various challenges such as restricted cell sources, phenotypic alterations, and immune rejection. In contrast, endogenous tissue engineering represents a promising alternative, leveraging acellular biomaterials to guide endogenous cells to the injury site and stimulate their intrinsic regenerative potential. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in endogenous tissue engineering strategies for AC and OC regeneration, with a focus on the tissue engineering triad comprising endogenous stem/progenitor cells (ESPCs), scaffolds, and biomolecules. Multiple types of ESPCs present within the AC and OC microenvironment, including bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs), synovial membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cells (SM-MSCs), and AC-derived stem/progenitor cells (CSPCs), exhibit the ability to migrate toward injury sites and demonstrate pro-regenerative properties. The fabrication and characteristics of scaffolds in various formats including hydrogels, porous sponges, electrospun fibers, particles, films, multilayer scaffolds, bioceramics, and bioglass, highlighting their suitability for AC and OC repair, are systemically summarized. Furthermore, the review emphasizes the pivotal role of biomolecules in facilitating ESPCs migration, adhesion, chondrogenesis, osteogenesis, as well as regulating inflammation, aging, and hypertrophy-critical processes for endogenous AC and OC regeneration. Insights into the applications of endogenous tissue engineering strategies for in vivo AC and OC regeneration are provided along with a discussion on future perspectives to enhance regenerative outcomes.
Insights
Endogenous tissue engineering uses acellular biomaterials to harness the body's own stem cells for articular cartilage and osteochondral regeneration, overcoming limitations of traditional cell therapies.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Articular cartilage (AC) and osteochondral (OC) tissues have limited self-repair capacity, necessitating advanced regeneration strategies.
- Traditional cell-based tissue engineering faces challenges like limited cell sources and immune rejection.
- Endogenous tissue engineering offers a promising alternative by utilizing acellular biomaterials to stimulate the body's innate repair mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive review of recent advancements in endogenous tissue engineering for AC and OC regeneration.
- To focus on the key components of endogenous tissue engineering: endogenous stem/progenitor cells (ESPCs), scaffolds, and biomolecules.
- To discuss the potential and future directions for enhancing AC and OC regeneration using these strategies.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on endogenous tissue engineering strategies for AC and OC regeneration.
- Analysis of the roles of various types of ESPCs (BMSCs, AD-MSCs, SM-MSCs, CSPCs) in AC and OC repair.
- Systematic summary of scaffold types (hydrogels, sponges, fibers, etc.) and biomolecules influencing regeneration.
Main Results:
- ESPCs within the AC and OC microenvironment can migrate to injury sites and promote regeneration.
- Diverse scaffold materials and formats are suitable for AC and OC repair, guiding endogenous cell activity.
- Biomolecules play a critical role in modulating ESPC behavior (migration, adhesion, differentiation) and regulating key regenerative processes.
Conclusions:
- Endogenous tissue engineering, utilizing ESPCs, scaffolds, and biomolecules, presents a viable strategy for AC and OC regeneration.
- This approach circumvents challenges associated with traditional cell therapies, offering a promising clinical alternative.
- Further research into optimizing the interplay of these components is crucial for advancing in vivo regenerative outcomes.
