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This article is also available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/0006291X

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of dynamic compressive loading on chondrogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the presence of TGF-beta3.  Isolated porcine MSCs were suspended in 2% agarose and subjected to intermittent dynamic compression (10% strain) for a period of 42 days in a dynamic compression bioreactor.  After 42 days in culture, the free-swelling specimens exhibited more intense alcian blue staining for proteoglycans, while immunohistochemical analysis revealed increased collagen type II immunoreactivity.  Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content increased with time for both free-swelling and dynamically loaded constructs, and by day 42 it was significantly higher in both the core (2.5+/-0.21%w/w vs. 0.94+/-0.03%w/w) and annulus (1.09+/-0.09%w/w vs. 0.59+/-0.08%w/w) of free-swelling constructs compared to dynamically loaded constructs.  This result suggests that further optimization is required in controlling the biomechanical and/or the biochemical environment if such stimuli are to have beneficial effects in generating functional cartilaginous tissue.