Tissue Engineering

Tissue Engineering Studies

Tissue Engineering (TE) studies span all hierarchical levels, by applying biomechanical engineering principles towards the development of bio-artificial, or "tissue-engineered" replacements for articular cartilage and other joint tissues.

These studies include:

Stem Cell Differentiation and Tissue Engineering

Studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that Human adipose-derived adult stem (hADAS) cells are capable of differentiating along a variety of specialized mesenchymal and non-mesenchymal lineages under appropriate culture conditions including adipogenic, osteogenic, chondrogenic, and/or neurogenic lineages. Recent data based on ring cloning studies further suggest the presence of truly pluripotent stem cells within the heterogeneous population of hADAS cells. Further studies are being undertaken to better characterize the cells and utilize them in tissue engineering (TE) applications and more specifically in functional tissue engineering of articular cartilage.
hADAS Cell Differentiation

References:
- Erickson, G.R., Gimble, J.M., Franklin, D.M., Rice, H.E., Awad, H., and Guilak, F. (2002): Chondrogenic potential of adipose tissue-derived stromal cells in vitro and in vivo. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 290(2):763-769.
- Wickham MQ, Erickson GR, Gimble JM, Vail TP, Guilak F. Multipotent stromal cells derived from the infrapatellar fat pad of the knee. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, (412): 196-212 JUL 2003
- Lott KE, Awad HA, Gimble JM, Guilak F: Pluripotency of human adipose-derived adult stem cells. To be presented at 6th Annual International Conference and Exposition of the Tissue Engineering Society International, December 10-13, 2003
- Lott KE, Awad HA, Gimble JM, Guilak F: Clonal Analysis of Multipotent Differentiation of Human Adipose-Derived Adult Stem Cells. Trans 50 th Annu Meet Orthop Res Soc. San Francisco, 29: 162, 2004.
- Gimble JM, Guilak F. Adipose-derived adult stem cells: isolation, characterization, and differentiation potential. Cytotherapy, 5 (5): 362-369 2003


Functional Tissue Engineering of Articular Cartilage

Tissue engineering is a relatively new but rapidly growing field that has sought to use combinations of implanted cells, biomaterials, and biologically active molecules to repair or regenerate injured or diseased tissues. Despite many advances, tissue engineers have faced significant challenges in repairing or replacing tissues that serve a predominantly biomechanical function, such as articular cartilage. An evolving discipline termed functional tissue engineering seeks to address these challenges by emphasizing and evaluating the role of biomechanical factors in the intrinsic and engineered repair of tissues and organs.

References:
- Guilak, F., Butler, D.L., and Goldstein, S.A. (2001): Functional tissue engineering: The role of biomechanics in cartilage repair. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 391:S295-S305.
- Guilak F. Functional tissue engineering: the role of biomechanics in reparative medicine. [Review] Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 961:193-5, 2002.
- Awad H, Erickson G, Guilak F: Biomaterials for Cartilage Tissue Engineering. In K-U Lewandrowski, DL Wise, DJ Trantolo, JD Gresser, MJ Yaszemski, DE Altobelli, eds. Tissue Engineering and Biodegradable Equivalents: Scientific and Clinical Applications. New York, NY, Marcel Dekker Inc., 2002. pp. 267-299
- Awad HA, Wickham M, Leddy HA, Gimble JM, Guilak F: Chondrogenic Differentiation of Adipose-Derived Adult Stem Cells in Agarose, Alginate, and Gelatin Scaffolds. Biomaterials, 2004 (In Press).

Physicochemical Regulation of TE Cartilage

It is firmly believed that the biochemical and biophysical environment affecs the growth and differentiation of stem cells . Biochemical factors include cytokines, growth factors, and inflammatory molecules. Physical and mechanical factors include osmotic stress, oxygen tension, mechanical compression, hydrostatic compression and flow-induced shear stress. Significant efforts are dedicated to developing in vitro bioreactor systems that would allow precise control and regulation of the aforementioned physicochemical factors.

References:
- Awad HA, Halvorsen YDC, Gimble JM, Guilak F. Effects of transforming growth factor beta 1 and dexamethasone on the growth and chondrogenic differentiation of adipose-derived stromal cells. Tissue Engineering, 9 (6): 1301-1312, 2003.
- Awad H, Halvorsen Y-D, Gimble JM, Guilak F: Optimization of Chondrogenic Differentiation of Human Adipose-Derived Adult Stem (hADAS) Cells. Presented at the North Carolina Tissue Engineering Interest Group (NCTEIG) Meeting, Durham, NC, 2003.
- Wang DW, Fermor B, Gimble JM, Guilak F: Hypoxia Increases the Chondrogenic Potential of Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Stromal Cells. Trans 49th Annu Meet Orthop Res Soc. New Orleans, 28: 875, 2003.
- Bradley T Estes, Beverly Fermor, Farshid Guilak: The Influence of Interleukin-1and Mechanical Stimulation on Human Adipose Derived Adult Stem Cells Undergoing Chondrogenesis. Trans 50th Annu Meet Orthop Res Soc. San Francisco, 29: 765, 2004.