Engineering of osteochondral tissue with bone marrow mesenchymal progenitor cells in a derivatized hyaluronan-gelatin composite sponge

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of a composite matrix, containing esterified hyaluronic acid and gelatin, to facilitate the osteochondral differentiation of culture-expanded, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells. The cell loading characteristics and the effects of the matrix on cell differentiation were examined in vitro and in vivo. Empty and cell-loaded composites were cultivated for up to 28 days in a chemically defined medium with or without transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1). A type II collagen-rich extracellular matrix was produced by cells loaded in the matrix and cultured in the presence of TGF-beta1. Empty and cell-loaded matrices were also implanted subcutaneously in immunodeficient mice. Three types of implant were used: empty (group I), cell-loaded matrices (Group II), and cell-loaded matrices cultured for 14 days in vitro in defined medium with TGF-beta1 (group III). No osteochondral differentiation was found in implanted empty matrices; however, the matrix supported osteochondrogenic cell differentiation in the cell-loaded implants. Preculture in vitro in a chondrogenic medium increased the percentage of osteochondral tissue found in the constructs after 3 weeks. These results indicate the potential use of this composite matrix for delivery of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells for the repair of chondral and osseous defects. The results also indicate that this composite matrix is useful for in vitro tissue engineering.     

Butyrate reduces liver metastasis of rat colon carcinoma cells in vivo and resistance to oxidative stress in vitro

Injection of the rat colon carcinoma cell line CC531 into spleen of syngeneic rats results in considerable amounts of liver metastases within 14 days. We investigated whether preincubation of the cells with butyrate reduced their metastatic ability in vivo and whether this was accompanied by reduction in related properties such as secretion of metalloproteinases and their ability to withstand oxidative stress. Butyrate incubation reduced cell growth rate and initiated apoptosis in a dose- and time-related manner, but proliferation was retrieved when cultivation was continued in medium without butyrate. Splenic injection of butyrate treated, proliferating cells resulted in significantly reduced amounts of tumor mass compared to untreated cells. The butyrate treated cells were more susceptible to oxidative stress than control cells, as demonstrated by increased number of apoptotic cells and reduced cell growth after exposure to menadione. A reduction in cellular glutathione was found after prolonged incubation with butyrate. Butyrate appeared not to alter the secretion of active metalloproteinases from the cells although an apparent increase in proforms was demonstrated. Neither did butyrate alter the synthesis of metalloproteinase inhibitors. Lastly, a reduced adhesion of the tumor cells to collagen coated matrix was found after butyrate treatment. Thus, the inhibitory effects of butyrate on tumor malignancy are caused by a diversity of mechanisms.     

Focal adhesion kinase regulates metastatic adhesion of carcinoma cells within liver sinusoids

Organ-specific tumor cell adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) components and cell migration into host organs often involve integrin-mediated cellular processes that can be modified by environmental conditions acting on metastasizing tumor cells, such as shear forces within the blood circulation. Since the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) appears to be essential for the regulation of the integrin-mediated adhesive and migratory properties of tumor cells, its role in early steps of the metastatic cascade was investigated using in vitro and in vivo approaches. Human colon and hepatocellular carcinoma cells were used to study adhesive properties under static conditions and in a parallel plate laminar flow chamber in vitro. In addition, intravital fluorescence microscopy was used to investigate early interactions between circulating tumor cells and the microvasculature of potential target organs in vivo. Shear forces caused by hydrodynamic fluid flow induced Tyr-hyperphosphorylation of FAK in cell monolayers. Reduced expression of FAK or its endogenous inhibition by FAK-related non-kinase (FRNK) interfered with early adhesion events to extracellular matrix components under flow conditions. In contrast, tumor cell adhesion to endothelial cells under these conditions was not affected. Furthermore, down-regulation of FAK inhibited metastatic cell adhesion in vivo within the liver sinusoids. In summary, FAK appears to be involved in early events of integrin-mediated adhesion of circulating carcinoma cells under fluid flow in vitro and in vivo. This kinase may take part in the establishment of definitive adhesive interactions that enable adherent tumor cells to resist fluid shear forces, resulting in an organ-specific formation of distant metastases.     

脂肪间充质干细胞联合内皮祖细胞治疗小鼠溃疡性结肠炎

文题释义：间充质干细胞：是一种具有多分化潜能、可自我更新、低免疫原性的多能干细胞，可从脂肪、骨髓、脐带、胎盘等多种组织中分离。在体外培养时，间充质干细胞可在不同诱导条件下向多系细胞分化，移植到体内后可分化为相应器官、组织的实质和间质细胞。内皮祖细胞：ASAHARA等于1997年首次发现外周血中存在能分化为血管内皮细胞的前体细胞，将其命名为血管内皮祖细胞，在生理或病理因素刺激下，可从骨髓动员到外周血参与损伤血管的修复。在一定的诱导条件下还可向平滑肌细胞、心肌细胞等多种细胞分化。  摘要背景：已有研究表明间充质干细胞具有治疗溃疡性结肠炎的效果，内皮祖细胞对溃疡性结肠炎是否有治疗效果尚不明确，二者都是生物组织工程重要的种子细胞，均可进行移植。目的：探索脂肪间充质干细胞和内皮祖细胞联合移植治疗溃疡性结肠炎的效果。方法：C57BL/6J小鼠随机分为6组，每组24只：正常对照组、脂肪间充质干细胞组、内皮祖细胞组、联合移植组、糖皮质激素组、模型对照组。除正常对照组外，其他5组小鼠采用葡聚糖硫酸钠诱导建立溃疡性结肠炎模型。造模第7，10天各组小鼠分别经尾静脉注射脂肪间充质干细胞和/或内皮祖细胞、地塞米松磷酸钠、磷酸盐缓冲液。造模第12天处死小鼠，比较各组小鼠疾病活动指数、组织学病理评分、结肠长度、血清肿瘤坏死因子α水平等。结果与结论：①糖皮质激素组具有治疗溃疡性结肠炎的效果，与模型对照组比较差异有显著性意义(P < 0.05)；②脂肪间充质干细胞组具有治疗溃疡性结肠炎的效果，优于糖皮质激素组，差异有显著性意义(P < 0.05)；③内皮祖细胞组治疗溃疡性结肠炎的效果不显著，与模型对照组比较，差异无显著性意义(P > 0.05)；④脂肪间充质干细胞联合内皮祖细胞移植治疗溃疡性结肠炎的效果优于其他各组，显著改善结肠缩短程度、疾病活动指数、组织学病理评分、血清肿瘤坏死因子α水平。 ORCID: 0000-0002-2409-0309(侯晓琳) 中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：干细胞；骨髓干细胞；造血干细胞；脂肪干细胞；肿瘤干细胞；胚胎干细胞；脐带脐血干细胞；干细胞诱导；干细胞分化；组织工程     

In vivo and in vitro binding of iodinated monoclonal antibody A2B5 to RIN insulinoma cells

Monoclonal antibody A2B5 reacts with the cell surface of a series of amine precursor uptake decarboxylation (APUD) cells and their tumors in many vertebrate species including chicken, rat, mouse, and man. We have studied the in vivo and in vitro binding of iodinated monoclonal antibody A2B5 to rat insulinoma cells. In vitro, radiolabeled A2B5 binds specifically to RINm5F insulinoma cells and the binding of 125I-A2B5 is inhibited by unlabeled A2B5 or a ganglioside extract of RINm5F cells. In vivo, scintigrams taken Day 0 to Day 5 after injection of 131I-labeled A2B5 showed a striking localization of 131I-A2B5 in transplanted RIN tumors grown in syngeneic rats. Other control radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies did not concentrate in the tumors. 131I-labeled A2B5 did not concentrate in other transplantable tumors (colon adenocarcinoma, osteosarcoma, renal cell carcinoma, and bladder transitional cell carcinoma) grown in nude mice. The tumor/blood ratio detected 5 days after antibody injection, was approximately two to 12 times higher in the insulinoma compared to other organs and only in the insulinoma did 131I-A2B5 show a higher concentration than control antibody 125I-P3X63.     

Hyaluronan-based biopolymers as delivery vehicles for bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal progenitors

The tolerability and safety of hyaluronan-based three-dimensional scaffolds as a culture vehicle for mesenchymal progenitor cells was investigated in this pilot study. The proliferation patterns and extracellular matrix production of rabbit and human mesenchymal, bone-marrow-derived progenitors first were characterized in vitro. Subsequently rabbit autologous cells were cultured in this hyaluronan-based scaffold and implanted in a full-thickness osteochondral lesion. In vitro histologic findings showed that mesenchymal progenitor cells adhered and proliferated onto the hyaluronan-derived scaffold. Human stem cells were shown to produce the main extracellular matrix molecules, accompanied by an occasional synthesis of mature type II collagen. In vivo data demonstrated that the biomaterial, with or without mesenchymal progenitors, did not elicit any inflammatory response and was completely degraded within 4 months after implantation. With regard to the efficacy of this cell therapy, even among the small number of animals tested there was histologic evidence that lesions filled with the biomaterial, either seeded or unseeded with cells, achieved a faster and better healing compared to empty controls. The present data suggest that the hyaluronan-based scaffolds are well tolerated and safe and may be a valuable delivery vehicle for tissue engineering in the repair of articular cartilage defects.     

Reorganization of the ependyma during axolotl spinal cord regeneration: changes in intermediate filament and fibronectin expression.

Changes in intermediate filament content and extracellular matrix material showed that the injury response of ependymal cells in lesioned axolotl spinal cord involves an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation, and that fibrous astrocytes are excluded from the remodeling lesion site. Antibody localization was used to visualize cytokeratin-, vimentin-, and glial fibrillary acidic protein- (GFAP-) containing intermediate filaments, as well as the adhesive glycoprotein fibronectin. In normal axolotl spinal cord cytokeratins were found near the apical surface of the ependymal cells. Transmission electron microscopic examination suggested that these cytokeratins were in tonofilaments. Cytokeratin expression was lost and vimentin production was initiated in ependymal cells 2-3 weeks following spinal cord injury. There was a period of approximately 1-2 weeks when cytokeratins and vimentin were co-expressed in vivo. This co-expression was maintained in vitro by culture on a fibronectin-coated substratum. As the central canal reformed, vimentin expression was lost. Ependymal cells lacked GFAP intermediate filaments, but GFAP was present in fibrous astrocytes of the neuropil and white matter. Following injury, GFAP localization showed that fibrous astrocytes disappeared from the remodeling lesion site and reappeared only after the ependymal epithelium reformed and newly myelinated axons were found. Fibronectin expression closely followed the expression of vimentin during mesenchymal ependymal cell outgrowth. These results suggest that the ependymal cell outgrowth requires changes in cell shape followed by changes in production of extracellular matrix.     

Spatial and temporal heparanase expression in colon mucosa throughout the adenoma-carcinoma sequence.

Heparanase is a mammalian endo-beta-D-glucuronidase that cleaves heparan sulfate side chains at a limited number of sites. Such enzymatic activity is thought to participate in degradation and remodeling of the extracellular matrix and to facilitate cell invasion associated with tumor metastasis, angiogenesis and inflammation. Traditionally, heparanase activity was well correlated with the metastatic potential of a large number of tumor-derived cell types. More recently, heparanase upregulation has been documented in an increasing number of primary human tumors, correlating with poor postoperative survival and increased tumor vascularity. Here, we employed anti-heparanase 733 polyclonal antibody that preferentially recognizes the 50 kDa active heparanase subunit over the 65 kDa proenzyme, as well as anti-heparanase 92.4 monoclonal antibody that recognizes both the latent and the active enzyme, to follow heparanase expression, processing and localization throughout the adenoma-carcinoma transition of the colon epithelium. Normal (nondysplastic) mucosa of the large bowel near epithelial neoplasms, as well as areas of mild dysplasia in adenomas, exhibited a strong reactivity with antibody 733 that became even stronger in foci of moderate dysplasia. Interestingly, although reactivity with antibody 733 was markedly reduced in severe dysplasia and in colorectal carcinoma, response to antibody 92.4 exhibited the opposite trend and staining intensities increased in parallel with tumor stage, the highest being in carcinoma cells. Involvement of latent heparanase (detected by 92.4, but not by 733 antibody) in tumor progression was suggested by activation of the Akt/PKB signal transduction pathway upon heparanase overexpression or exogenous addition to HT29 human colon carcinoma cells. These results suggest that heparanase expression is induced during colon carcinogenesis, and that its processing, conformation and localization are tightly regulated during the course of colon adenoma-carcinoma progression.     

Recruitment of progenitor cells by an extracellular matrix cryptic peptide in a mouse model of digit amputation

Biologic scaffolds composed of extracellular matrix (ECM) have been used successfully in preclinical models and humans for constructive remodeling of functional, site-appropriate tissue after injury. The mechanisms underlying ECM-mediated constructive remodeling are not completely understood, but scaffold degradation and site-directed recruitment of both differentiated and progenitor cells are thought to play critical roles. Previous studies have shown that degradation products of ECM scaffolds can recruit a population of progenitor cells both in vitro and in vivo. The present study identified a single cryptic peptide derived from the α subunit of the collagen III molecule that is chemotactic for a well-characterized perivascular stem cell in vitro and causes the site-directed accumulation of progenitor cells in vivo. The oligopeptide was additionally chemotactic for human cortical neural stem cells, rat adipocyte stem cells, C2C12 myoblast cells, and rat Schwann cells in vitro. In an adult murine model of digit amputation, treatment with this peptide after mid-second phalanx amputation resulted in a greater number of Sox2+ and Sca1+,Lin- cells at the site of injury compared to controls. Since progenitor cell activation and recruitment are key prerequisites for epimorphic regeneration in adult mammalian tissues, endogenous site-directed recruitment of such cells has the potential to alter the default wound healing response from scar tissue toward regeneration.     

Epithelial interactions and local engraftment of lung-resident mesenchymal stem cells

Multipotent mesenchymal progenitor cells, termed "mesenchymal stem cells" (MSCs), have been demonstrated to reside in human adult lungs. However, there is little information regarding the associations of these local mesenchymal progenitors with other resident somatic cells and their potential for therapeutic use. Here we provide in vivo and in vitro evidence for the ability of human adult lung-resident MSCs (LR-MSCs) to interact with the local epithelial cells. The in vivo retention and localization of human LR-MSCs in an alveolar microenvironment was investigated by placing PKH-26 or DsRed lentivirus-labeled human LR-MSCs in the lungs of immunodeficient (SCID) mice. At 3 weeks after intratracheal administration, 19.3 ± 3.21% of LR-MSCs were recovered, compared with 3.47 ± 0.51% of control fibroblasts, as determined by flow cytometry. LR-MSCs were found to persist in murine lungs for up to 6 months and demonstrated preferential localization to the corners of the alveoli in close proximity to type II alveolar epithelial cells, the progenitor cells of the alveolar epithelium. In vitro, LR-MSCs established gap junction communications with lung alveolar and bronchial epithelial cells and demonstrated an ability to secrete keratinocyte growth factor, an important modulator of epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation. Gap junction communications were also demonstrable between LR-MSCs and resident murine cells in vivo. This study demonstrates, for the first time, an ability of tissue-specific MSCs to engraft in their organ of origin and establishes a pathway of bidirectional interaction between these mesenchymal progenitors and adult somatic epithelial cells in the lung.     

Ex vivo expansion of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells on microcarrier beads in spin culture

Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSC) are attractive candidates for connective tissue regeneration. Currently, their use is limited by poor overall cell survival and high apoptosis rates upon transplantation in vivo. We hypothesized that disruption of cell-extracellular matrix contact either during cell expansion or immediately prior to cell transplantation may impair cell viability and facilitate apoptosis. We therefore investigated whether BM-MSC can be expanded on microcarrier beads in spin culture and directly transplanted. This novel approach removes the need for the repeated trypsinizations that are usually required for expansion and transplantation. CultiSpher-S gelatin microcarrier beads supported Fisher and transgenic green fluorescent protein (GFP)(+) Sprague Dawley rat BM-MSC expansion. Bead-expanded BM-MSC could still be differentiated along the chondrogenic, osteogenic and adipogenic lineages. In the short term, direct subcutaneous transplantation of cells expanded on microcarriers was associated with significantly less apoptosis than trypsinized control cells. In the long term, BM-MSC expanded on microcarrier beads induced de novo trabecular bone formation in vivo. This novel approach present several advantages over current expansion-transplantation protocols for mesenchymal tissue regeneration.     

CD133+ renal progenitor cells contribute to tumor angiogenesis

In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that resident progenitor cells may contribute to tumor vascularization and growth. CD133+ cells were isolated from 30 human renal carcinomas and characterized as renal resident progenitor cells on the basis of the expression of renal embryonic and mesenchymal stem cell markers. CD133+ progenitors differentiated into endothelial and epithelial cells as the normal CD133+ counterpart present in renal tissue. In the presence of tumor-derived growth factors, these cells were committed to differentiate into endothelial cells able to form vessels in vivo in SCID mice. Undifferentiated CD133+ progenitors were unable to form tumors when transplanted alone in SCID mice. When co-transplanted with renal carcinoma cells, CD133+ progenitors significantly enhanced tumor development and growth. This effect was not attributable to the tumorigenic nature of CD133+ progenitor cells because the same results were obtained with CD133+ cells from normal kidney. CD133+ progenitors contributed to tumor vascularization as the majority of neoformed vessels present within the transplanted tumors were of human origin and derived from the co-transplanted CD133+ progenitors. In conclusion, these results indicate the presence of a renal progenitor cell population in renal carcinomas that may differentiate in endothelial cells and favor vascularization and tumor growth.     

Immune activation modulates hematopoiesis through interactions between CD27 and CD70

The differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells into mature blood cell lineages is tightly regulated. Here we report that CD27, which is expressed on stem and early progenitor cells in bone marrow, can be important in this process. Deletion of CD27 increased the myeloid colony-forming potential of stem and early progenitor cells and enhanced B lymphoid reconstitutive capacity in competitive transplantation experiments. Conversely, stimulation of CD27(+) progenitor cells with CD70, the unique ligand for CD27, inhibited colony-forming potential in vitro and lymphocyte outgrowth in vivo. As CD70 is expressed only on activated immune cells, we suggest that CD27 triggering on early progenitor cells provides a negative feedback signal to leukocyte differentiation during immune activation.     

Role of fibrillar structure of collagenous carrier in bone sialoprotein-mediated matrix mineralization and osteoblast differentiation

To investigate the effects of the microstructure of collagenous carriers on the in vivo function of bone sialoprotein (BSP) in mineralization and osteoblast differentiation, we examined the ultrastructure of reconstituted type I collagen (collagen) and heat-denatured collagen (gelatin) and the in vivo responses to purified bone-derived BSP that was implanted with collagen or gelatin into surgically created 8-mm rat calvarial bone defects. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies revealed that the collagen displayed a fine fibrillar structure with interconnecting spaces between the fibrils/fibers, while the gelatin completely lost this unique three-dimensional structure after denaturation. The rates of in vivo release of BSP from the collagen scaffold were significantly lower than those from the gelatin. Collagen-BSP, but not gelatin-BSP, induced early mineral deposition in the matrix of proliferating repair cells in the calvarial defects at approximately 4-7 days after implantation. Expression levels of osteoblast markers, alkaline phosphatase activity and amounts of new bone synthesized in the collagen-BSP treated defects were significantly greater than that in the gelatin-BSP treated defects (p<0.001). The data suggest that the fibrillar microstructure of reconstituted collagen is essential for retaining BSP at a higher concentration within the defects, which enhances BSP-mediated matrix mineralization and osteoblast differentiation during the repair of rat calvarial defects.     

去细胞肌肉生物支架与人脐带间充质干细胞的相容性

背景：去细胞肌肉生物支架联合人脐带间充质干细胞移植将是治疗脊髓损伤的一项重要措施。但两者是否具有良好的相容性,人脐带间充质干细胞能否在去细胞肌肉生物支架中长期存活并均匀分布,尚未得到证实。 目的：观察大鼠去细胞肌肉生物支架与人脐带间充质干细胞的相容性。 方法：改良化学法制备大鼠去细胞肌肉生物支架,将第3代人脐带间充质干细胞Hoechest33342荧光标记后分为3组进行实验,细胞+支架组、细胞+支架大鼠体内组和单纯细胞组。分别应用苏木精-伊红、Masson染色方法观察去细胞肌肉生物支架的组织形态,以荧光倒置相差显微镜和扫描电镜观察人脐带间充质干细胞的吸附和生长情况。 结果与结论：人脐带间充质干细胞与去细胞肌肉生物支架充分附着,生长增殖活跃,细胞在支架内分布均匀。细胞+支架体内组与细胞+支架组相比在移植后1-7 d人脐带间充质干细胞数量差异无显著性意义(P > 0.05),在移植14 d细胞+支架体内组人脐带间充质干细胞数量大于细胞+支架组(P < 0.05)。提示去细胞肌肉生物支架与人脐带间充质干细胞有较好的相容性,体内环境更有利于细胞增殖和两者融合。     

Gene expression analysis of hematopoietic progenitor cells identifies Dlg7 as a potential stem cell gene

Inducible hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell lines represent a model for studying genes involved in self-renewal and differentiation. Here, gene expression was studied in the inducible human CD34+ acute myelogenous leukemia cell line KG1 using oligonucleotide arrays and suppression subtractive cloning. Using this approach, we identified Dlg7, the homolog of the Drosophila Dlg1 tumor suppressor gene, as downregulated at the early stages of KG1 differentiation. Similarly, Dlg7 was expressed in normal purified umbilical cord blood CD34+CD38- progenitors but not in the more committed CD34+CD38+ population. Dlg7 expression was not detected in differentiated cells obtained from hematopoietic colonies, nor was expression detected in purified T-cells, B-cells, and monocytes. When analyzed in different types of stem cells, Dlg7 expression was detected in purified human bone marrow-derived CD133+ progenitor cells, human mesenchymal stem cells, and mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. Overexpression of Dlg7 in mouse ES cells increased their growth rate and reduced the number of EBs emerging upon differentiation. In addition, the EBs were significantly smaller, indicating an inhibition in differentiation. This inhibition was further supported by higher expression of Bmp4, Oct4, Rex1, and Nanog in EBs overexpressing Dlg7 and lower expression of Brachyury. Finally, the Dlg7 protein was detected in liver and colon carcinoma tumors but not in normal adjacent tissues, suggesting a role for the gene in carcinogenesis. In conclusion, our results suggest that Dlg7 has a role in stem cell survival, in maintaining stem cell properties, and in carcinogenesis. Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.     

Intervertebral Disc Cell Therapy for Regeneration: Mesenchymal Stem Cell Implantation in Rat Intervertebral Discs

This study explores the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for intervertebral disc regeneration. We used an in vivo model to investigate the feasibility of exogenous cell delivery, retention, and survival in the pressurized disc space. MSC injection into rat coccygeal discs was performed using 15% hyaluronan gel as a carrier. Injections of gel with or without MSCs were performed. Immediately after injection, fluorescently labeled stem cells were visible on sections of cell-injected discs. Seven and 14 days after injection, stem cells were still present within the disc, but their numbers were significantly decreased. At 28 days, a return to the initial number of injected cells was observed, and viability was 100%. A trend of increased disc height compared to blank gel suggests an increase in matrix synthesis. The results indicate that MSCs can maintain viability and proliferate within the rat intervertebral disc.     

Matrix-mediated retention of adipogenic differentiation potential by human adult bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells during ex vivo expansion

Recently, cell-based approaches utilizing adipogenic progenitor cells for fat tissue engineering have been developed and reported to have success in promoting in vivo adipogenesis and the repair of defect sites. For autologous applications, human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been suggested as a potential cell source for adipose tissue engineering applications due to their ability to be isolated and ex vivo expanded from adult bone marrow aspirates and their versatility for pluripotent differentiation into various mesenchymal lineages including adipogenic. Due to the relatively low frequency of MSCs present within bone marrow, extensive ex vivo expansion of these cells is necessary to obtain therapeutic cell populations for tissue engineering strategies. Currently, utilization of MSCs for adipose tissue engineering is limited due to the attenuation of their adipogenic differentiation potential following extensive ex vivo expansion on conventional tissue culture plastic (TCP) substrates. In the present study, the ability of a denatured collagen type I (DC) matrix to preserve MSC adipogenic potential during ex vivo expansion was examined. Adipocyte-related markers and functions were examined in vitro in response to adipogenic culture conditions for 21 days in comparison to early passage MSCs and late passage MSCs ex vivo expanded on TCP. The results demonstrated significant preservation of the ability of late passage MSCs ex vivo expanded on the DC matrix to express adipogenic markers (fatty acid-binding protein-4, lipoprotein lipase, acyl-CoA synthetase, adipsin, facilitative glucose transporter-4, and accumulation of lipids) similar to the early passage cells and in contrast to late passage MSCs expanded on TCP. The ability of the DC matrix to preserve adipocyte-related markers and functions of MSCs following extensive ex vivo expansion represents a novel culture technique to expand functional adipogenic progenitors for tissue engineering applications.