Characterization of Bone Marrow and Wharton's Jelly Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Response on Multilayer Braided Silk and Silk/PLCL Scaffolds for Ligament Tissue Engineering.

(1) Background: A suitable scaffold with adapted mechanical and biological properties for ligament tissue engineering is still missing. (2) Methods: Different scaffold configurations were characterized in terms of morphology and a mechanical response, and their interactions with two types of stem cells (Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stromal cells (WJ-MSCs) and bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs)) were assessed. The scaffold configurations consisted of multilayer braids with various number of silk layers ( = 1, 2, 3), and a novel composite scaffold made of a layer of copoly(lactic acid--(e-caprolactone)) (PLCL) embedded between two layers of silk.

Are the Immune Properties of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Wharton's Jelly Maintained during Chondrogenic Differentiation?

Background: Umbilical mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), and especially those derived from Wharton's jelly (WJ), are a promising engineering tool for tissue repair in an allogeneic context. This is due to their differentiation capacity and immunological properties, like their immunomodulatory potential and paracrine activity. Hence, these cells may be considered an Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP).

Mesenchymal stem cell interacted with PLCL braided scaffold coated with poly-l-lysine/hyaluronic acid for ligament tissue engineering.

The challenge of finding an adapted scaffold for ligament tissue engineering remains unsolved after years of researches. A technology to fabricate a multilayer braided scaffold with flexible and elastic poly (l-lactide-co-caprolactone) (PLCL 85/15) has been recently pioneered by our team. In this study, polyelectrolyte multilayer films (PEM) with poly-l-lysine (PLL)/ hyaluronic acid (HA) were deposited on this scaffold.

Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells: predictive obstetric factors for cell proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation.

Background: The umbilical cord is becoming a notable alternative to bone marrow (BM) as a source of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC). Although age-dependent variations in BM-MSC are well described, less data are available for MSC isolated from Wharton's jelly (WJ-MSC). We initiated a study to identify whether obstetric factors influenced MSC properties.

Comparison of MSC properties in two different hydrogels. Impact of mechanical properties.

Once articular cartilage is damaged, it has poor ability to heal. At present, alginate-based hydrogels have 3D-dimensional physical structures with great potential for applications in carilage tissue engineering. For osteochondral defect, it will be necessary to use stratified scaffold to mimic zonal organization of cartilage.

Is there a cause-and-effect relationship between physicochemical properties and cell behavior of alginate-based hydrogel obtained after sterilization?

Alginate-based hydrogel scaffolds are widely used in the field of cartilage regeneration and repair. If the effect of autoclaving on the alginate powder is well known, it is not the same for the possible effects of the sterilization UV treatment on the properties of the hydrogel after polymerization. To select an effective sterilization treatment of alginate-based materials, one must find what are inter-relationship between the characteristics (chemical, physical and mechanical) of alginate-based hydrogel during sterilization, and what consequences have affected on cell behavior.

Hydroxyethylstarch 200 and 240 differently affect aortic distensibility but not viscosity and blood pressure upon acute isovolumic hemodilution.

Objectives: It has been shown that a hydroxyethylstarch solution significantly increases the aortic distensibility coefficient (ADC) as compared to other non-hydroxyethylstarch colloid solutions. In order to investigate whether the effect of hydroxyethylstarch on ADC is class-specific, we investigated the effect of two hydroxyethylstarch solutions (HES 200: Elohes and HES 240: Hesteril) on the ADC and compared them with two other colloid solutions: 5% albumin and fluid gelatin (Gelofusin) in a rabbit model of acute isovolumic hemodilution.

Methods: Twenty-eight male New Zealand white rabbits were anesthetized and randomly allocated to receive (n=7, each): albumin, hydroxyethylstarch-200, hydroxyethylstarch-240 and gelatin for acute isovolumic hemodilution by exchanging 13 ml.

Effects of a new perfluorocarbon emulsion on human plasma and whole-blood viscosity in the presence of albumin, hydroxyethyl starch, or modified fluid gelatin: an in vitro rheologic approach.

Background: Artificial oxygen carriers such as perfluorocarbon (PFC) emulsions have reached Phase III clinical trials as alternatives to homologous blood, but their rheologic effects have not been characterized. In this study, the rheologic effects of PFC emulsion in the presence of clinically used volume expanders were investigated.

Study Design And Methods: The effects of a new PFC emulsion (small droplet size with narrow size distribution) at two PFC concentrations (4 and 8 g/dL) on plasma and whole-blood viscosity in the presence of human albumin solution (HAS), hydroxyethyl starch (HES), or modified fluid gelatin (MFG) were investigated.