Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Articular chondrocytes (ACs) have the ability of promoting bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) to differentiate to ACs via the secretion of inducing factors, but the study of forming ACs using Transwell to co-culture has not been reported now.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the ability of promoting BMSCs differentiation to ACs after co-culturing in Transwell.
METHODS: BMSCs were obtained from femoral and tibial shaft of SD rats aged 4 weeks, ACs were obtained from the surface of normal femoral head of SD rats aged 4 weeks. The third passage of BMSCs and ACs were harvested and placed into Transwell co-culture system at a ratio of 1:1, BMSCs were placed in the bottom and ACs in the upper. Meanwhile BMSCs at the same concentration served as control group, cultured in DMEM containing 10% fetal bovine serum. Cell proliferation and matrix synthesis were observed under phase contrast microscopy, cell-seeded cover slips in each group were analyzed for glucose amino glycan content detection and type Ⅱ collagen immunohistochemical staining.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The number of co-cultured BMSCs increased, synthesis of extracellular matrix was rich, the matrix can be stained yellow by type Ⅱ collagen immunohistochemical staining. Glucose amino glycan content increased with the induction time increasing. The secretions of ACs have the ability of promoting BMSCs to transform to ACs. Meanwhile, BMSCs can secrete cell factors to stimulate tissue restoring, thus strengthening the function of ACs in Transwell. ACs and BMSCs co-culture inducing has its unique advantages.