Manipulation of miRNA activity accelerates osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs in engineered 3D scaffolds.

Cell-based tissue engineering strategies have shown tremendous promise for the repair of bone mass deficiencies, but the efficient and appropriate induction of stem cells down osteogenic pathways remains a significant roadblock to the effective implementation of cell-based therapies. When grown in culture, human Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells (hMSCs) remain multipotent, requiring specific exogenous signals to induce osteogenic differentiation. hMSCs used in transplantations, therefore, must be presented with local signals, often provided by the host's own tissues, to be directed down bone-related lineages.