Stem cells translational medicine
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Stem Cells Transl Med · Jan 2017
Regeneration of Articular Cartilage by Human ESC-Derived Mesenchymal Progenitors Treated Sequentially with BMP-2 and Wnt5a.
The success of cell-based therapies to restore joint cartilage requires an optimal source of reparative progenitor cells and tight control of their differentiation into a permanent cartilage phenotype. Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) has been extensively shown to promote mesenchymal cell differentiation into chondrocytes in vitro and in vivo. Conversely, developmental studies have demonstrated decreased chondrocyte maturation by Wingless-Type MMTV Integration Site Family, Member 5A (Wnt5a). ⋯ Implantation of scaffoldless pellets of hESC-derived chondroprogenitors pretreated with BMP-2 followed by Wnt5a into rat chondral defects induced an articular-like phenotype in vivo. Together, the data establish a novel role for Wnt5a in controlling the progression from multipotency into an articular-like cartilage phenotype in vitro and in vivo. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2017;6:40-50.