Chondrogenic potential of stem cells derived from amniotic fluid, adipose tissue, or bone marrow encapsulated in fibrin gels containing TGF-β3

In this study, several types of hMSCs, derived from bone marrow, adipose tissue, or amniotic fluid, were encapsulated in a fibrin hydrogel mixed with TGF-β3 and then evaluated for their capacity for differentiation in vitro and in vivo. For determination of stem cell differentiation, RT-PCR, real time quantitative PCR (qPCR), histology, and immunohistochemical assays were used for analysis of chondrogenesis. Using these analysis methods, several of the cultured hMSCS were found to highly express genes and proteins specific to cartilage forming tissues. Additionally, similar trends in expression were found in tissue recovered from nude mice transplanted with several types of hMSCs encapsulated in a fibrin hydrogel containing TGF-β3. The results of both in vitro and in vivo analyses showed that cultured or transplanted hMSCs mixed with TGF-β3 in a fibrin hydrogel differentiated into chondrocytes, suggesting that these cells would be suitable for reconstruction of hyaline articular cartilage.