Surface characterization and chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stromal cells derived from synovium

• Published in: Cytotherapy (Oxford, England) England), 2007, Vol.9 (4), p.316-327
• Main Authors: Jo, C.H, Ahn, H.J, Kim, H.J, Seong, S.C, Lee, M.C., MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Advanced Basic Science; Biomarkers - metabolism; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cell Separation; Cells, Cultured; Chondrogenesis - drug effects; chondrogenic differentiation; Colony-Forming Units Assay; Flow Cytometry; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; mesenchymal stromal cell; Mesoderm - cytology; Mesoderm - drug effects; Middle Aged; Other; Stromal Cells - cytology; Stromal Cells - drug effects; Sulfur Radioisotopes; Surface Properties - drug effects; Synovial Membrane - cytology; Synovial Membrane - drug effects; synovium; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 - pharmacology
• ISSN: 1465-3249; 1477-2566
• DOI: 10.1080/14653240701291620

Background Synovium is the only tissue that can produce hyaline cartilage in benign conditions, such as synovial chondromatosis and osteoarthritis, suggesting potential advantages in chondrogenesis using mesenchymal stromal cells. We performed surface characterization of cells isolated from the synovium of patients with osteoarthritis after different passages and induced chondrogenic differentiation. Methods Using cells obtained from synovium, colony-forming unit fibroblast assay and characterization of cell-surface markers by flow cytometry using 22 different Ab at different passages were performed. Cells were cultured under chondrogenic conditions and evaluated grossly, histologically, immunohistochemically and by [35 S]sulfate incorporation and reverse transcription-PCR. Results The positive cell-surface markers of immediately isolated cells were CD10, CD13, CD14, CD34, CD44, CD45, CD49a, CD62e, CD73 and HLA-DR. After the first passage (P), CD14, CD34, CD45, CD62e and HLA-DR disappeared, whereas CD105 and CD166 appeared and CD10, CD13, CD44, CD49a and CD73 showed increased expression levels. The surface marker expression level did not vary much after P1 through to P8. The chondrogenic differentiation potential of cells from the synovium was confirmed using various evaluation methods. Discussion We have demonstrated that cells from synovium contain a mesenchymal stromal cell population capable of chondrogenic differentiation, which seems to increase with passage under our culture conditions. The cell-surface markers were found to change remarkably after the first passage and then remained stable. The results of this study may be helpful for sorting mesenchymal stromal cells from heterogeneous synovial cells for future studies.