Objective To sum up the research advances of the seed cell and the culture system using in tissue engineering cartilage. Methods The recent original articles about the seed cell and the culture system in tissue engineering cartilage were extensively reviewed. Results At present, autologous or homologous cells is still major seed cell and the three dimensional culture system is also major system for tissue engineering cartilage. Conclusion The source of seed cell for tissue engineering cartilage. Conclusion The source of seed cell for tissue engineering cartilage should be further explored, and the culture system need to be improved and developed.
Spine is a common site of metastasis in patients with malignant tumors, and tumor metastasis to the spine can lead to pain, pathological fractures, and nerve compression. In order to optimize the diagnosis and management of patients with spinal metastases and metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC), the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK proposed the first diagnostic and treatment guidelines for patients with MSCC (or at risk of MSCC) in 2008. In recent years, with the rapid advancement of spinal surgery and radiotherapy technology, the standardized process of MSCC diagnosis and treatment urgently needs to be updated. In 2023, NICE launched new guidelines for spinal metastases and MSCC. Based on a thorough study of the guidelines, this article discusses and interprets pain management, corticosteroid treatment, application of bisphosphonates and denosumab, tools for assessing spinal stability and prognosis, radiation therapy, surgical timing and approach, etc., providing reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment in China.
Objective To evaluate the primary cl inical results of double-bundle anterior cruciate l igament reconstruction (ACLR) with semitendinosus allografts. Methods From March 2006 to October 2006, 33 patients underwent double-bundle ACLR with semitendinosus allografts. The complete followed-up data of 31 patients was analyzed retrospectively. There were 24 males and 7 females aged 18-35 years old (average 25 years old). The injury was caused by sports accidents in 23cases and traffic accidents in 8 cases, involving the left knee in 18 cases and the right knee in 13 cases. Anterior cruciate l igament rupture were confirmed by MRI and arthroscopy in all the patients, without lateral collateral l igaments injuries and posterior cruciate l igament injuries. The time from injury to operation was 1-43 months (average 11 months). The knee was fixed at 0° position after operation for 2 weeks and got knee joint rehabil itation exercises gradually. Results The incision of 2 patients showed effusion 4 and 7 days after operation, respectively, and healed after symptomatic treatment. The incision of 29 patients healed by first intention. There were no compl ications such as stiffness of knee joint, neurovascular injuries and joint infections. All the patients were followed up for 24-29 months (average 26 months). MRI displayed the anterior cruciate l igament grafts presented with good connection and signal similar to the normal 2 years after operation. There was significant difference between the preoperational value and the final follow-up value in terms of bilateral knee joint difference of prior laxity, Lachman test, and pivot shift test (P lt; 0.05 ). The circumference difference between the injured and the normal was (11.6 ± 7.9) mm before operation and (5.0 ± 3.1) mm at the final follow-up (P lt; 0.05). The Tegner score, Lysholm score, and International Knee Documentation Committee score was 3.83 ± 1.15, 64.38 ± 6.81, and 41.42 ± 6.30, respectively, before operation, and 6.29 ± 0.64, 94.45 ± 3.03, and 95.72 ± 3.10, respectively, at the final follow-up. There was a significant difference between before and after operation (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion The primary cl inical results of double-bundle ACLR with semitendinosus allografts are satisfactory and the allogeneic semitendinosus are good grafts for double-bundle ACLR.
Objective To investigate the diagnosis and effectiveness of improved percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) for patients with thoracolumbar metastatic tumors, who could not tolerate anesthesia and open operation. Methods Between September 2009 and September 2010, 16 patients with thoracolumbar metastatic tumors underwent improved PKP. Of 16 patients, 7 were male and 9 were female with an average age of 64.5 years (range, 60-73 years). All patients had vertebralmetastasis tumor. The disease duration was 3-6 months with an average of 4 months. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score was 8.9 ± 0.8. No spinal cord compression and nerve root compression was observed. The involved vertebrae included T7 in 1 case, T8 in 1, T12 in 1, L2 in 2, L3 in 2, L4 in 3, T1, 2 in 1, T3, 4 in 1, T7, 8 in 1, T11, 12 in 1, T7-L1 in 1, and T12-L4 in 1. Nine patients had vertebral compression fracture with a vertebral compression rate below 75%. Results All patients were successfully performed PKP. There was no serious adverse reactions in cardiopulmonary and brain vascular systems and no perioperative death. The biopsy results showed that all were metastatic adenocarcinoma. All patients were followed up 9-18 months mean, 14 months). Complete pain rel ief was achieved in 14 cases and partial rel ief in 2 cases 6 months after operation according to World Health Organization criterion, with a pain-rel ief rate of 87.5%. The VAS score was 1.8 ± 0.6 at 6 months postoperatively, showing significant difference when compared with the preoperative score (P lt; 0.05). Two patients had cement leakages in 3 vertebrae with no symptoms at 6 months postoperatively. During follow-up, 12 patients died and the others survived with tumor. Conclusion For patients with thoracolumbar metastatic tumors who can not tolerate anesthesia and open operation, improved PKP has the advantages such as minimal invasion, high diagnostic rate, and early improvement of pain in the biopsy and treatment. It can improve patient’s qual ity of l ife in the combination of radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE To investigate the possibility of repairing the cartilage cartilage defect with homogeneous chondrocytes combined with Pluronic. METHODS: Homogeneous cartilage chondrocytes of adult New Zealand rabbits were harvested and cultured in vitro, which were marked by 3H-TdR and mixed with Pluronic. The medial or lateral condyle defects were made (phi 4 mm, extending down to the calcified zone) in 20 rabbits. In the experimental group, the right defects were repaired by homogeneous chondrocytes combined with Pluronic; in the control group, the left defects were repaired by Pluronic only or were left un-repaired. The animals were sacrificed in the 4th, 8th and 16th weeks after operation respectively. The repair results were observed and the cell source of repair tissue was distinguished. RESULTS: In the experimental group, the cartilage defects were repaired by the cartilage-like tissue after 8 weeks of operation; the defects were completely filled with mature cartilage tissue, which integrated smoothly with articular cartilage 16 weeks later. In the control group, only a small amount fibrous tissues were seen on the surface of defects. Autoradiographic assessment showed that the repair cells came from the implants, but not from self-chondrocytes. CONCLUSION: It is a good way to repair articular cartilage defects with homograft of tissue engineering cartilage. It is a convenient method to mark with 3H-TdR to discriminate the resource of the repair cells.
Objective To investigate time differences in directional differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into nucleus pulposus-like cells (NPCs) in a non contact co-culture system so as to search for the best time for transplantation in vivo. Methods Six New Zealand white rabbits (aged 6 weeks, weighing 1.5-2.0 kg) were selected. BMSCs were collected and cultured for immunocytochemistry identification of CD34, CD44, CD45, and CD90; NPCs were isolated and identified immunocytochemically by RT-PCR. The 2nd passage BMSCs and the primary NPCs were co-cultured in a non contact co-culture system. The cell morphological changes were observed and the cell growth curves were made at 1, 3, and 5 passages after co-culture. The expressions of the aggrecan and collagen type II genes were detected by RT-PCR in BMSCs at 5, 10, and 15 days after co-culture; the expressions of the aggrecan and collagen type II proteins were detected by Western blot at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 days after co-culture. Results The expressions of CD44 and CD90 were positive, CD34 and CD45 were negative in BMSCs. The expressions of the collagen type II and aggrecan were positive in NPCs. At 2 weeks after co-culture, the morphology of BMSCs changed obviously, the cells were polygonal and irregular shape. The cell growth rate showed no difference within 3 passages, but decreased obviously after 3 passages. RT-PCR showed that the expressions of collagen type II and aggrecan genes at 10 and 15 days were significantly higher than those at 5 days (P lt; 0.05), no significant difference was found between at 10 days and at 15 days (P gt; 0.05). Western blot showed that the expressions of collagen type II and aggrecan proteins gradually increased with time, and there was significant difference within 5, 10, and 15 days (P lt; 0.05), but no significant difference was found after 15 days of co-culture (P gt; 0.05). Conclusion In a non contact co-culture system, BMSCs can differentiate into the NPCs. The expression of collagen type II and aggrecan can reach a stable level at 15 days after co-culture, and it is the suitable time for transplantation in vivo.
ObjectiveTo clarify the application value of thyroid organoids in basic research and clinical translation of thyroid diseases, analyze the key challenges currently faced, and prospect future development directions. MethodsRelevant domestic and international literatures in recent years were systematically searched. This review summarized the construction strategies of thyroid organoids, and their application progress in disease model establishment (e.g., thyroid cancer, Hashimoto thyroiditis), drug screening, and personalized treatment. ResultsThyroid organoids can highly simulate the morphological structure and gene expression profile of native thyroid tissue. In terms of disease modeling, they can accurately reproduce the pathological characteristics and immune microenvironment of thyroid diseases. In drug screening, organoids can predict the response to radioactive iodine therapy and the sensitivity to targeted drugs, with high consistency between their drug sensitivity results and clinical efficacy. In mechanism research, organoids have been successfully used to reveal the roles of abnormal mitogen-activated protein kinase/phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase-protein kinase B signaling pathways, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, ferroptosis, and immunoregulatory mechanisms in thyroid carcinogenesis and disease progression, providing experimental evidence for target identification. ConclusionsAs an in vitro model that highly simulates the in vivo environment, thyroid organoids have become an important platform for thyroid disease research. Although challenges remain in standardized construction and clinical translation, with technical optimization and research evidence accumulation, they hold broad prospects in the field of precision medicine.
OBJECTIVE To investigate the feasibility of repairing the whole layer defects of tibial plateau by implanting tissue-engineering cartilage. METHODS: The chondrocytes of 2-week-old rabbits were cultured and transferred to the 3rd generation, and mixed with human placenta collagen-sponge. The whole layer defects of tibial plateau in adult rabbits were repaired by the tissue-engineering cartilage in the experimental group; the defects were left un-repaired in control group. The repair results of defects were observed after 4, 12 and 24 weeks. RESULTS: In experimental group, no obvious new cartilage formation was seen 4 weeks after operation; some new cartilage formation was found after 12 weeks. Histological observation showed that chondrocytes had irregular edge, honeycombing structure and that cartilage cavities formed around the chondrocytes. After 24 weeks, obvious new cartilage formation was found with smooth surface, and linked with the tissues around it, but the defect was not repaired completely; histological results showed that cartilage cavities formed and that cartilage matrix was stained positively for toluidine blue. In control group, the defect was not repaired. CONCLUSION: The tissue-engineering cartilage can repair the defects of the whole layer cartilage of tibial plateau in rabbits, it is feasible to repair the whole layer cartilage defects of tibial plateau by this method.