Using Microphysiological System for the Development of Treatments for Joint Inflammation and Associated Cartilage Loss-A Pilot Study.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a painful and disabling joint disease affecting millions worldwide. The lack of clinically relevant models limits our ability to predict therapeutic outcomes prior to clinical trials, where most drugs fail. Therefore, there is a need for a model that accurately recapitulates the whole-joint disease nature of OA in humans.

PEG Reinforced Scaffold Promotes Uniform Distribution of Human MSC-Created Cartilage Matrix.

Previously, we used a gelatin/hyaluronic acid (GH)-based scaffold to induce chondrogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hBMSC). The results showed that hBMSCs underwent robust chondrogenesis and facilitated cartilage regeneration. However, it was noticed that the GH scaffolds display a compressive modulus that is markedly lower than native cartilage.