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This study suggested a new method to produce the in vitro cartilage tissues by cartilage differentiation in spheroids from adipose-derived stem cells on porous scaffolds. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) were used to produce spheroids by the hanging-drop method. The spheroids were then loaded into a porous scaffold and induced to differentiate into cartilage. To confirm the cartilage phenotype of the differentiated spheroids in the scaffold, the complex was evaluated for the expression of chondrogenic-related genes and proteins. The cartilagenous tissues formed from the spheroid-scaffold complexes were primarily checked for in vivo functioning by transplanting them into rat models of cartilage damage. The results showed that the spheroid-scaffold complexes displayed the cartilage phenotype after inducing chondrogenic differentiation. The complexes stained positive with safranin O, alcian blue and collagen 2, significantly expressed Sox9, Col2, and aggrecan genes compared with that before differentiation. In vivo, the differentiated spheroid-scaffold complexes formed mature cartilage that stained strongly positive with safranin O and fast red. These results suggest a promising strategy to produce cartilaginous microtissue for regenerative medicine.

Introduction: Cartilage injury is the most common injury among orthopedic diseases. The predominant treatment for this condition is cartilage transplantation. Therefore, production of cartilage for treatment is an important strategy in regenerative medicine of cartilage to provide surgeons with an additional option for treatment of cartilage defects. This study aimed to produce in vitro engineered cartilage tissue by culturing and differentiating umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cells on biodegradable Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffold. Methods: Human umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs) were isolated and expanded according to previous published protocols. UCMSCs were labeled with CD90 APC‑conjugated monoclonal antibody (CD90-APC) and then seeded onto porous PCL scaffolds. Cell adhesion and proliferation on PCL scaffolds were evaluated based on the strength/signal of APC, MTT assays, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The chondrogenic differentiation of UCMSCs on scaffolds was detected by Alcian Blue and Safranin O staining. Results: The results showed that UCMSCs successfully adhered, proliferated and differentiated into chondroblasts and chondrocytes on PCL scaffolds. The chondrocyte scaffolds were positive for some markers of cartilage, as indicated by Alcian Blue and Safranin O staining. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study showed successful production of cartilage tissues from UCMSCs on PCL scaffolds.

Introduction: Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs) are multiple potential stem cells that can differentiate into various kinds of functional cells, including adipocytes, osteoblasts, and chondroblasts. Thus, UCMSCs have recently been used in both stem cell therapy and tissue engineering applications to produce various functional tissues. This study aimed to evaluate the proliferation and differentiation of UCMSCs on porous scaffolds.