Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2012, 156(2):128-134 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2012.041

Nanotechnology and mesenchymal stem cells with chondrocytes in prevention of partial growth plate arrest in pigs

Ladislav Planka^a, Robert Srnec^b, Petr Rauser^b, David Stary^a, Eva Filova^d, Josef Jancar^c, Jana Juhasova^e, Leos Kren^f, Alois Necas^b, Petr Gal^a

^a Clinic of Pediatric Surgery, Orthopedics and Traumatology, the Faculty Hospital Brno, Czech Republic

^b Department of Surgery and Orthopaedics, Small Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno

^c lnstitute of Materials Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Technology, Brno

^d lnstitute of Experimental Medicine of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

^e lnstitute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

^f lnstitute of Pathology and Anatomy, Faculty Hospital Brno

Introduction: This study describes the results achieved using a combination of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with chondrocytes (CHC) and a new scaffold consisting of type-I collagen and chitosan nanofibers in the prevention of partial growth plate arrest after iatrogenic injury in pigs.

Material and methods: The miniature pig was selected as an experimental model to compare the results in the left femoral bones (MSCs and CHC in scaffold transplantation into the iatrogenic partial distal growth plate defect) and right femoral bones (scaffold alone transplantation). The experimental group consisted of 10 animals. Bone marrow from os ilium as the source of MSCs was used. A porous cylinder consisting of 0.5% by weight type-I collagen and 30% by weight chitosan, was the optimal choice. The length of the bone and angular deformity of distal femur after the healing period was measured and the quality and structure of the newly formed cartilage was histologically examined.

Results: Transplantation of the composite scaffold in combination with MSCs and chondrocytes led to the prevention of growth disorder and angular deformity in the distal epiphysis of the left femur. Compared to the right (control) femur, tissue similar to hyaline cartilage with signs of columnar organization typical of the growth plate occurred in most cases.

Conclusions: The promising results of this study reveal the new and effective means for the prevention of bone bridge formation after growth plate injury.

Keywords: mesenchymal stem cells, growth plate defect, cartilage, bone bridge

Received: October 25, 2011; Accepted: April 5, 2012; Published: June 1, 2012  Show citation