Vitamin C Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vitamin C, including details on benefits, dosage, supplements, information.

In vivo bone formation by human marrow stromal cells in biodegradable scaffolds that release dexamethasone and ascorbate-2-phosphate.

Kim H, Suh H, Jo SA, Kim HW, Lee JM, Kim EH, Reinwald Y, Park SH, Min BH, Jo I

Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Institute of Health, 5 Nokbun-dong, Eunpyung-gu, Seoul 122-701, Republic of Korea.

An unsolved problem with stem cell-based engineering of bone tissue is how to provide a microenvironment that promotes the osteogenic differentiation of multipotent stem cells. Previously, we fabricated porous poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) scaffolds that released biologically active dexamethasone (Dex) and ascorbate-2-phosphate (AsP), and that acted as osteogenic scaffolds. To determine whether these osteogenic scaffolds can be used for bone formation in vivo, we seeded multipotent human marrow stromal cells (hMSCs) onto the scaffolds and implanted them subcutaneously into athymic mice. Higher alkaline phosphatase expression was observed in hMSCs in the osteogenic scaffolds compared with that of hMSCs in control scaffolds. Furthermore, there was more calcium deposition and stronger von Kossa staining in the osteogenic scaffolds, which suggested that there was enhanced mineralized bone formation. We failed to detect cartilage in the osteogenic scaffolds (negative Safranin O staining), which implied that there was intramembranous ossification. This is the first study to demonstrate the successful formation of mineralized bone tissue in vivo by hMSCs in PLGA scaffolds that release Dex and AsP.

Published 13 June 2005 in Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 332(4): 1053-60.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Vitamin C Research Today. All Rights Reserved.