Disease-modifying effects of phosphocitrate and phosphocitrate-β-ethyl ester on partial meniscectomy-induced osteoarthritis.

Background: It is believed that phosphocitrate (PC) exerts its disease-modifying effects on osteoarthritis (OA) by inhibiting the formation of crystals. However, recent findings suggest that PC exerts its disease-modifying effect, at least in part, through a crystal-independent action. This study sought to examine the disease-modifying effects of PC and its analogue PC-β-ethyl ester (PC-E) on partial meniscectomy-induced OA and the structure-activity relationship.

Tissue engineering of esophagus and small intestine in rodent injury models.

Regenerative constructs composed of synthetically sourced, biodegradable biomaterials seeded with smooth muscle-like cells have been leveraged to mediate regeneration of bladder and bladder-like neo-organs. Here, we describe how such constructs may be applied to catalyze regeneration of esophagus and small intestine in preclinical rodent models.

Care of rodent models used for preclinical evaluation of tissue-engineered/regenerative medicine product candidates.

The pre-, peri-, and postoperative care of animal surgical models used for testing tissue engineering/regenerative medicine product candidates includes the thoughtful consideration of several important factors. It must ensure the health and comfort of the animals and the success and reproducibility of the model. In order to reduce the number of animals needed in creating the model and to reduce costs, a preliminary evaluation of surgical procedures and instruments should be performed on cadavers.

Extension of bladder-based organ regeneration platform for tissue engineering of esophagus.

Recent successes in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering of bladder and bladder-like neo-organs have leveraged regenerative constructs composed of a biodegradable scaffold seeded with a population of smooth muscle cells. We have shown that such smooth muscle cells are isolatable from adipose and other sources alternate to the primary organ. We hypothesize that this regenerative platform is not limited to regeneration of bladder and bladder-like neo-organs, but rather represents a foundational technology platform broadly applicable for regeneration of laminarly organized hollow organs.

Regeneration of rodent small intestine tissue following implantation of scaffolds seeded with a novel source of smooth muscle cells.

Aims: To apply an organ regeneration platform technology of autologous smooth muscle cell/biomaterial combination products, previously demonstrated to be successful for urinary tissue regeneration, to the regeneration of the small intestine.

Materials & Methods: Patch and tubular constructs were implanted in rodent small intestines and histologically evaluated over a time course for evidence of regeneration of the laminarly organized neo-mucosa and muscle layers.

Results: Laminarly organized neo-mucosa and muscle layer bundles are demonstrated as early as 8 weeks postimplantation.