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Objective: To explore the feasibility of constructing androgen-secreting tissue of a certain size and shape using co-cultured somatic cells of rat testis., Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats were castrated. model and implanted rat model were prepared by resecting bilateral testes. The suspension of mixed testes cells was cultured to obtain various somatic cells of testes and Leydig cells were collected by differential anchorage-dependent method. These two kinds of cells were seeded onto biodegradable scaffolds of polyglycolic acid (PGA) fibers and cultured in vitro. The tissue formation of cell-scaffold constructs was observed by optical microscope and electronic microscope and the level of testosterone in the supernatant was detected regularly. After 7-day culture in vitro, the 2 kinds of cell-scaffold constructs, scaffold with purified Leydig cells or co-cultured testis somatic cells (seed cells), were implanted into the gastrocolic omentum or cavity of tunica vaginalis of the castrated rats. The implants were harvested 4, 6, 9, 12, and 24 weeks later to evaluate the tissue formation of cell-scaffold constructs in vivo. The serum testosterone level of the implanted rats was assayed to evaluate the testosterone secreting function of the regenerative tissue., Results: Both the co-cultured testis somatic cells and Leydig cells had fine compatibility with the PGA fibers and adhered to the scaffolds very well. Testosterone was detected at a certain degree in the supernatant of cell-scaffold constructs, indicating the testosterone secreting function of the constructs. Two months after the implantation both kinds of cell-scaffold constructs formed testosterone secreting tissue in both gastrocolic omentum and cavity of tunica vaginalis of the implanted rats. The regenerative tissues were vascularized very well with a certain size and shape. Six weeks after implantation the serum testosterone level of the Leydig cell group was 0.60 ng/ml +/- 0.04 ng/ml, and that of the co-culture group was 0.84 ng/ml +/- 0.03 ng/ml, both significantly higher than that of the control castrated rats (0.56 ng/ml +/- 0.05 ng/ml, both P < 0.01), and the serum testosterone level of the co-cultured testes somatic cell implantation group was significantly higher than that of the Leydig cell implantation group too (P < 0.01)., Conclusion: It is completely feasible to construct androgen-secreting tissue in vitro and in vivo using tissue engineering technique. Co-cultured testis somatic cells may serve as the better seed cells for androgen-secreting tissue engineering than purified Leydig cells in terms of the quantity and function of cells.

Objective: To explore the influence of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 inducing time on the chondrogenesis of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC), and on the construction of tissue engineering cartilage., Methods: BMSCs were obtained from the greater trochanters of 3 pigs, cultured, seeded onto the cylindrical scaffolds made of polyglycolic acid at the density of 5.0 x 10(7) cells/ml, and then cultured with chondrogenesis media containing TGF-beta(1) (10 ng/ml), insulin-like growth factor-I (50 microg/L), and dexamethasone (40 microg/L) to be induced by TGF-beta(1) for 2 weeks (Group A), 4 weeks (Group B), 6 weeks (Group C), 8 weeks (Group D), or 10 weeks (Group E) respectively. 10 weeks later the cylindrical scaffolds underwent gross observation and histological examination. Alcin blue method was used to examine the content of proteoglycan (GAG). Immunochemistry and Western blotting were used to examine the type II collagen. The cylindrical scaffolds underwent biomechanical analysis., Results: HE staining showed cartilage lacunae increasing in number from the periphery to center of the cylindrical scaffolds with the extended inducing time, and were arranged more uniformly progressively. Histochemical staining showed GAG accumulation. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting showed that the content of type II collagen increased gradually, the amount of type II collagen stabilized after 6 weeks' culture, and there was no significant difference in the content of type II collagen between Group C and Group E. Biomechanical analysis showed that the modulus of elasticity and compression strength of the groups induced for more than 6 weeks (Groups C, D, and E) were all higher then those of Groups and B., Conclusion: TGF-beta(1) inducing time is correlated with the cartilage engineering characteristics with BMSC as seed cells. Induction for 6 weeks helps construct tissue engineered cartilage with good tissue structure, chemical composition and biomechanical properties.

Objective: To explore the feasibility of in vivo chondrogenesis of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) co-cultured with chondrocytes on biodegradable scaffold., Methods: Porcine BMSCs were isolated, expanded and labeled with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), and then were mixed with articular chondrocytes isolated from porcine knee joint at the ratio of 1:1. The mixed cells were seeded onto polyglycolic acid (PGA) scaffold at the ultimate concentration of 5.0 x 10(7)/ml (co-culture group). Pure chondrocytes and BMSCs of the same ultimate concentration were seeded respectively onto the scaffold as positive control group and negative control group. After two weeks' culture in vitro, they were planted subcutaneously into nude mice respectively. These specimens were collected after in vivo implantation for 8 weeks to undergo microscopy. Laser confocal microscopy was used to observe the distribution of EGFP-labeled cells in the tissue. RT-PCR was used to examine the expression of collagen type II and aggrecan. Immunohistochemistry was used to observe the protein expression of collagen type II., Results: The cell-scaffold constructs of the co-culture group and positive control group, could maintain the original size and shape no matter in vitro or in vivo. After 8 weeks' in vivo implantation, the constructs in both co-culture group and positive control group formed cartilage-like tissue with typical histological structure and extracellular matrix staining similar to those of the normal cartilage. The GAG content and compressive modulus of the co-culture group reached over 80% of those of the positive control group. Confocal microscopy revealed the presence of EGFP-labeled cells in the engineered cartilage lacuna. Histological examination showed that the constructs of the negative control group shrunk gradually after in vivo implantation with no typical cartilage-like tissue formation., Conclusion: In vitro co-cultured BMSC-chondrocyte-PGA constructs have the potential to form mature cartilage-like tissue in subcutaneous non-chondrogenesis environment, indicating that chondrocytes still provide enough signals for BMSC chondrogenic differentiation.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of mechanical stress on chondrogenesis of in vitro cultured porcine bone marrow stem cells (BMSC)., Methods: Porcine BMSC of passage 2 were seeded onto a cylinder-shaped PGA/PLA scaffold, 8mm in diameter and 3mm in thickness, at a density of 5 x 10(7)/cm(3). After the cell-scaffold constructs were cultured for one week, the primary medium, high-glucose DMEM medium with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), was replaced by chondrogenically inductive medium containing TGFbeta(1) (10 ng/ml), IGF-I (50 ng/ml), and dexamethasone (40 ng/ml) in addition to DMEM+10% FBS. The constructs were randomly divided into three groups according to the imposed stress: experimental group A in which a centrifugal stress was imposed at 100 g, 30 min, 2/d; experimental group B in which a rotative stress was imposed at 80 rpm, 8 h/d by a shaker; and control group in which the constructs were statically cultured. The gross view, histology, histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content were evaluated after 4 and 8 weeks respectively., Results: Four weeks later, the constructs in both experimental groups maintained their original sizes and shapes. Histology showed nodular lacuna-like structures, in company with GAG deposition and collagen synthesis. In addition, collagen type II was detected by immunohistochemistry. In the control group, however, the constructs shrunk to a little smaller size than those in the experimental groups, and histological staining showed a little amount of lacuna. Eight weeks later, the constructs in both experimental groups still maintained the original sizes and shapes with good elasticity. HE staining showed massive lacuna-like structures in most areas of the construct and extracellular matrix deposited evenly. Fibrous tissues were only observed in some areas. Safranin-O staining showed massive GAG formation and Masson staining showed much more collagen formation than those in the control group. Immunohistochemical staining of collagen type II showed strong positive expression. In the control group the constructs showed massive fibrous tissues, with a small amount of lacuna-like structures in the peripheral areas. GAG contents in the 2 experimental groups were 5.98 mg/g and 5.62 mg/g respectively, both significantly higher than that in the control group (4.73 mg/g) without a difference between the 2 experimental groups., Conclusion: Mechanical stress promotes chondrogenesis and cartilage maturation of BMSC in vitro.

Objective: Chondrogenic microenvironments play a very important role in chondrogenesis of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC). This study explored the feasibility of in vitro chondrogenesis by co-culture of BMSC and chondrocytes so as to confirm the hypothesis that chondrocytes can provide chondrogenic microenvironment to induce chondrogenic differentiation of BMSC and thus promote in vitro chondrogenesis of BMSC., Methods: Porcine BMSC and auricular chondrocytes were in vitro expanded respectively and then were mixed at a ratio of 8:2 (BMSC:chondrocyte). 200 microl mixed cells(5.0 x 10(7)/ml) were seeded onto a polyglycolic acid/polylactic acid (PGA/PLA) scaffold, 9 mm in diameter and 3 mm in thickness, as co-culture group. Chondrocytes and BMSC with the same cell number were seeded respectively onto the scaffolds as positive control (chondrocyte group) and negative control (BMSC group). 200 microl chondrocytes (1.0 x 10(7)/ml, equal to the chondrocyte number of co-culture group) alone were seeded as low concentration chondrocyte group. There were 6 specimens in each group. All specimens were harvested after in vitro culture for 8 weeks in DMEM plus 10% FBS. Gross observation, average wet weight measurement, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) quantification, histology and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate the results., Results: Cells in all groups had fine adhesion to the scaffolds and could secrete extracellular matrix. In both co-culture group and positive control group, the cell-scaffold constructs could maintain the original size and shape during in vitro culture and formed homogenous mature cartilage after 8 weeks of in vitro culture. Furthermore, the neo-cartilages in both groups were similar to each other in gross appearance and histological features, and abundant type II collagen was also detected by immunohistochemistry in both groups. The average wet weight and GAG content of co-culture group were both more than 80% of those of positive control group. In negative control group, however, the constructs shrunk gradually during in vitro culture and cartilage-like tissue could only be observed at the edge area of the construct. In low concentration chondrocyte group, the constructs also shrunk gradually during in vitro culture and the average wet weight was below 40% of that of the positive control group although histology showed a small amount cartilage formation., Conclusion: Chondrocytes can provide a chondrogenic microenvironment to induce a chondrogenic differentiation of BMSC and thus promote the in vitro chondrogenesis of BMSC.

Objective: To test the possibility of using bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) and biodegradable polymers to repair articular osteochondral defects at non-weight bearing area of porcine knee joints., Methods: Bone marrows were harvested from 18 hybrid pigs. BMSC were cultured and in vitro expanded and induced with dexamethasone (group A) or with dexamethasone and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) (group B) respectively. Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR were used to evaluate chondrogenic differentiation of induced cells. Part of BMSC of 2 animals were retrovirally-labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP). After induction and label, cells were seeded on a construct of polyglycolic acid (PGA) and polylactic acid (PLA) and co-cultured for 1 week before implantation. Total 4 osteochondral defects (8 mm in diameter, 5 mm in depth) in each animal were created at the non-weight bearing areas of knee joints on both sides. The defects were repaired with dexamethasone induced BMSC-PGA/PLA construct in group A, with dexamethasone and TGF-beta1 induced BMSC-PGA/PLA construct in group B, with PGA/PLA construct alone (group C) or left untreated (group D) as controls. Animals were sacrificed at 3 months (n = 6) or 6 months (n = 10) post-repair. Gross observation, histology, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) quantification and biomechanical test were applied to analyze the results. The two animals with GFP-labeled cells were sacrificed at 7 months post-repair to observe with confocal microscope the distribution of GFP-labeled cells in repaired tissue., Results: Stronger expression of type II collagen and aggrecan were observed in BMSCs induced with both dexamethasone and TGF-beta1. At both time points, Gross observation and histology showed that the defects in most of group A were repaired by engineered fibrocartilage and cancellous bone with an irregular surface, minority defects were repaired by engineered hyaline cartilage and cancellous bone. However, in most of group B, the defects were completely repaired by engineered hyaline cartilage and cancellous bone. No repair or only fibrous tissue were observed in groups C and D. Besides, the compressive moduli of repaired cartilage in groups A and B reached 30.37% and 43.82% of normal amount at 3 months and 62.69% and 80.27% at 6 months respectively, which was further supported by the high levels of GAG contents in engineered cartilage of group A (78.03% of normal contents) and group B (no statistical difference from normal contents). More importantly, confocal microscope revealed the presence of GFP-labeled cells in engineered cartilage lacuna and repaired underlying cancellous bone., Conclusion: The results demonstrated that implanted BMSC can differentiate into either chondrocytes or osteoblasts at different local environments and repair a complex articular defect with both engineered cartilage and bone. TGF-beta1 and dexamethasone in vitro induction can promote chondrogenic differentiation of BMSC and thus improve the results of repairing articular defects.