Nanoscale ligand density modulates gap junction intercellular communication of cell condensates during chondrogenesis.

To unveil the influence of cell-matrix adhesions in the establishment of gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) during cell condensation in chondrogenesis. Previously developed nanopatterns of the cell adhesive ligand arginine-glycine-aspartic acid were used as cell culture substrates to control cell adhesion at the nanoscale. chondrogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells was conducted on the nanopatterns.

RGD-Dendrimer-Poly(L-lactic) Acid Nanopatterned Substrates for the Early Chondrogenesis of Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Derived from Osteoarthritic and Healthy Donors.

Aiming to address a stable chondrogenesis derived from mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) to be applied in cartilage repair strategies at the onset of osteoarthritis (OA), we analyzed the effect of arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) density on cell condensation that occurs during the initial phase of chondrogenesis. For this, we seeded MSC-derived from OA and healthy (H) donors in RGD-dendrimer-poly(L-lactic) acid (PLLA) nanopatterned substrates (RGD concentrations of 4 × 10, 10, 2.5 × 10, and 10 w/w), during three days and compared to a cell pellet conventional three-dimensional culture system.