A co-culture system of rat synovial stem cells and meniscus cells promotes cell proliferation and differentiation as compared to mono-culture

作者：Xing Xie, Jingxian Zhu, Xiaoqing Hu, Linghui Dai, Xin Fu, Jiying Zhang, Xiaoning Duan, Yingfang Ao · 发表于：Scientific Reports · 年份：2018 · DOI：10.1038/s41598-018-25709-w · 被引用次数：17 · 研究领域：Knee injuries and reconstruction techniques、Tendon Structure and Treatment、Osteoarthritis Treatment and Mechanisms

A meniscus tear often happens during active sports. It needs to be repaired or replaced surgically to avoid further damage to the articular cartilage. To address the shortage of autologous meniscal cells, we designed a co-culture system of synovial stem cells (SMSCs) and meniscal cells (MCs) to produce a large cell number and to maintain characteristics of MCs. Different ratios of SMSCs and MCs at 3:1, 1:1, and 1:3 were tested. Mono-culture of SMSCs or MCs served as control groups. Proliferation and differentiation abilities were compared. The expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) genes in MCs was assessed using an ECM array to reveal the mechanism at the gene level. The co-culture system of SMSCs/MCs at the ratio of 1:3 showed better results than the control groups or those at other ratios. This co-culture system may be a promising strategy for meniscus repair with tissue engineering.