Transplantation of ASCs-Poly (ε-Caprolactone) Nanofiber Scaffold and Evaluate the Effect of Mechanical Loading of Walking on Articular Cartilage Repair in Sheep Model

Abstract

Mechanical loading influences on the chondrocyte and may promote articular cartilage repair in vivo. That is thought to play a key role in the differentiation of MSCs and in tissue healing and repair. We aimed to evaluate the effect of mechanical Loading of walking on articular cartilage repair. So the stem cells were isolated from the infrapatellar adipose tissue and were seeded on PCL. Then cell-scaffold constructs were sputter-coated with gold and observed by scanning electron microscopy to determine the adhesion of ASCs on the scaffold. ASCs-PCL constructs were transplanted into defects in sheep knees then ASCs on the scaffold was induced by the mechanical loading in vivo. Repaired tissue was evaluated with Q(RT-PCR), immunofluorescence staining, toluidine blue staining and Masson’s trichrome staining, the results revealed the largest areas of type II collagen staining, Sox9 expression, aggrecan and presence of chondrocytes in repaired cartilage in experimental groups. Also, the results of this study suggest that mechanical loading of walking could be used to induce ASCs to repair articular cartilage in vivo.