Effects of hypoxia on differentiation of menstrual blood stromal stem cells towards tenogenic cells in a co-culture system with Achilles tendon cells.

Achilles tendons have a very poor capacity for intrinsic regeneration. The cell-based treatment strategy for Achilles tendinitis includes the application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which have high proliferative and multipotent differentiation ability, and is a promising approach. The aim of the present study was to explore the tenogenic potential of human menstrual blood stromal stem cells (MenSCs) in a co-culture system and to compare the tenogenic capability under normoxic and hypoxic conditions.

Differentiation Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Adipose Tissue vs Bone Marrow Toward Annulus Fibrosus Cells In vitro.

Background: Bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) and adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are two types of stem cells that commonly used in exogenous tissue engineering as well as endogenous tissue repair, however which type of cell is superior remains unknown.

Objective: This study was conducted to compare differentiation potential of BMSCs and ADSCs from Sprague-Dawley rats towards annulus fibrosus (AF)-like cells.

Method: Stem cells and AF cells were cocultured with direct cell-to-cell contact in coculture plates with 0.

Differentiation of menstrual blood-derived stem cells toward nucleus pulposus-like cells in a coculture system with nucleus pulposus cells.

Study Design: Human stromal stem cells derived from menstrual blood (MenSCs) and nucleus pulposus (NP) cells were cocultured under normal or low oxygen (O2) condition.

Objective: To assess the differentiation capability of MenSCs toward nucleus pulposus cells under normal or low oxygen condition.

Summary Of Background Data: Given the proliferative capacity and pluripotentiality of mesenchymal stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells transplantation is thought to be a promising approach to managing intervertebral disc degeneration.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of unilateral versus bilateral pedicle screw fixation in transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.

Background: Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) has become one of the most widely used procedures for lumbar spinal disorders. However, it is still unclear whether TLIF with unilateral pedicle screw (PS) fixation is as effective as that with bilateral PS fixation. We performed a meta-analysis of the literatures and aimed to gain a better understanding of whether TLIF with unilateral PS fixation was safe and effective for lumbar diseases.

Lactate down-regulates matrix systhesis and promotes apoptosis and autophagy in rat nucleus pulposus cells.

The intervertebral disk (IVD) is avascular and anaerobic glycolysis has been recognized as the main source of energy. Due to anaerobic glycolysis, there are high levels of lactate production in disk. Previous study shows lactate concentration is elevated in the degenerated IVD.

Apoptosis, senescence, and autophagy in rat nucleus pulposus cells: Implications for diabetic intervertebral disc degeneration.

This research was aimed to study the mechanisms by which diabetes aggravates intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) and to discuss the relationship between autophagy and IDD in nucleus pulposus (NP) cells. Sixteen weeks after injecting streptozotocin (STZ), the intervertebral discs (IVDs) were studied by histology, Alcian blue, 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue (DMMB), immunohistochemistry, and RT-PCR to explore the IDD. The apoptosis and senescence of NP cells was investigated by terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase (TDT)-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot for caspase3, caspase8, caspase9, and p16lnk4A (increased in cellular senescence).