Improving cartilage phenotype from differentiated pericytes in tunable peptide hydrogels.

ABSTRACT: Differentiation of stem cells to chondrocytes in vitro usually results in a heterogeneous phenotype. This is evident in the often detected over expression of type X collagen which, in hyaline cartilage structure is not characteristic of the mid-zone but of the deep-zone ossifying tissue. Methods to better match cartilage developed in vitro to characteristic in vivo features are therefore highly desirable in regenerative medicine. This study compares phenotype characteristics between pericytes, obtained from human adipose tissue, differentiated using diphenylalanine/serine (F₂/S) peptide hydrogels with the more widely used chemical induced method for chondrogenesis. Significantly higher levels of type II collagen were noted when pericytes undergo chondrogenesis in the hydrogel in

SUBMITTER: Alakpa EV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5537289 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature