Biochemical and structural characterization of neocartilage formed by mesenchymal stem cells in alginate hydrogels.

ABSTRACT: A popular approach to make neocartilage in vitro is to immobilize cells with chondrogenic potential in hydrogels. However, functional cartilage cannot be obtained by control of cells only, as function of cartilage is largely dictated by architecture of extracellular matrix (ECM). Therefore, characterization of the cells, coupled with structural and biochemical characterization of ECM, is essential in understanding neocartilage assembly to create functional implants in vitro. We focused on mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) immobilized in alginate hydrogels, and used immunohistochemistry (IHC) and gene expression analysis combined with advanced microscopy techniques to describe properties of cells and distribution and organization of the forming ECM. In particular, we used second harmonic generat

SUBMITTER: Olderoy MO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3953515 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature