Proteoglycan 4 is present within the dura mater and produced by mesenchymal progenitor cells.

Mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) have been recently identified in human and murine epidural fat and have been hypothesized to contribute to the maintenance/repair/regeneration of the dura mater. MPCs can secrete proteoglycan 4 (PRG4/lubricin), and this protein can regulate tissue homeostasis through bio-lubrication and immunomodulatory functions. MPC lineage tracing reporter mice (Hic1) and human epidural fat MPCs were used to determine if PRG4 is expressed by these cells in vivo.

CCL22 induces pro-inflammatory changes in fibroblast-like synoviocytes.

Synovitis is common in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and is associated with pain and disease progression. We have previously demonstrated that the chemokine C-C motif chemokine 22 (CCL22) induces chondrocyte apoptosis however, the effects of CCL22 on the synovium remain unknown. Therefore, our goal was to investigate the effect of CCL22 on fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS).

Isolation and Characterization of an Adult Stem Cell Population from Human Epidural Fat.

Study Design: Isolation and characterization of human epidural fat (HEF) stem/progenitor cells.

Objective: To identify a progenitor population within HEF and to determine if they meet the minimal criteria of a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC).

Summary Of Background Data: The biological function, if any, has yet to be determined for HEF.

Multiple mesenchymal progenitor cell subtypes with distinct functional potential are present within the intimal layer of the hip synovium.

Background: The synovial membrane adjacent to the articular cartilage is home to synovial mesenchymal progenitor cell (sMPC) populations that have the ability to undergo chondrogenesis. While it has been hypothesized that multiple subtypes of stem and progenitor cells exist in vivo, there is little evidence supporting this hypothesis in human tissues. Furthermore, in most of the published literature on this topic, the cells are cultured before derivation of clonal populations.