Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Potential Role in the Treatment of Osteochondral Lesions of the Ankle

• Published in: Biotechnology journal 2017-12, Vol.12 (12), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Tribe, Howard C., McEwan, Josephine, Taylor, Heath, Oreffo, Richard O. C., Tare, Rahul S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Ankle Joint - physiopathology; Cartilage Diseases - therapy; Cells, Cultured; Humans; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; Mesenchymal Stem Cells - cytology; Mice; Review; Reviews
• ISSN: 1860-6768; 1860-7314; 1860-7314
• DOI: 10.1002/biot.201700070

Given articular cartilage has a limited repair potential, untreated osteochondral lesions of the ankle can lead to debilitating symptoms and joint deterioration necessitating joint replacement. While a wide range of reparative and restorative surgical techniques have been developed to treat osteochondral lesions of the ankle, there is no consensus in the literature regarding which is the ideal treatment. Tissue engineering strategies, encompassing stem cells, somatic cells, biomaterials, and stimulatory signals (biological and mechanical), have a potentially valuable role in the treatment of osteochondral lesions. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are an attractive resource for regenerative medicine approaches, given their ability to self‐renew and differentiate into multiple stromal cell types, including chondrocytes. Although MSCs have demonstrated significant promise in in vitro and in vivo preclinical studies, their success in treating osteochondral lesions of the ankle is inconsistent, necessitating further clinical trials to validate their application. This review highlights the role of MSCs in cartilage regeneration and how the application of biomaterials and stimulatory signals can enhance chondrogenesis. The current treatments for osteochondral lesions of the ankle using regenerative medicine strategies are reviewed to provide a clinical context. The challenges for cartilage regeneration, along with potential solutions and safety concerns are also discussed. Given articular cartilage has a limited repair potential, untreated osteochondral lesions may necessitate joint replacement. Tissue engineering, encompassing stem cells, somatic cells, biomaterials and stimulatory signals, has a potentially valuable role in the treatment of osteochondral lesions. This review highlights the different cartilage tissue engineering strategies and outlines the current regenerative medicine strategies for treating osteochondral lesions of the ankle.