Tumor necrosis factor-α inhibition restores matrix formation by human adipose-derived stem cells in the late stage of chondrogenic differentiation.

Background: Cartilage tissue engineering is a promising strategy for treating cartilage damage. Matrix formation by adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), which are one type of seed cell used for cartilage tissue engineering, decreases in the late stage of induced chondrogenic differentiation , which seriously limits research on ADSCs and their application.

Aim: To improve the chondrogenic differentiation efficiency of ADSCs , and optimize the existing chondrogenic induction protocol.

Association between Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin and Platelet Distribution Width Ratio and Knee Osteoarthritis Severity.

Background: The goal was to simply and efficiently predict the indicators of disease severity in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients.

Methods: One hundred eighty-four patients with KOA and 126 healthy subjects were included. WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) was used as a reference index for disease severity in KOA patients, in which WOMAC < 80 was classified as mild and WOMAC ≥ 80 as moderate and severe.

Matrix Metalloproteinase 3: A Promoting and Destabilizing Factor in the Pathogenesis of Disease and Cell Differentiation.

Cells must alter their expression profiles and morphological characteristics but also reshape the extracellular matrix (ECM) to fulfill their functions throughout their lifespan. Matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3) is a member of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family, which can degrade multiple ECM components. MMP-3 can activate multiple pro-MMPs and thus initiates the MMP-mediated degradation reactions.