BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate an autologous bone mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold in two animal models of cartilage repair.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A rabbit model (n=16) and a minipig model (n=8) of cartilage repair were created with cartilage defects of the knee joints treated with bone marrow stimulation (BMS). In the ECM group, autologous bone MSC-derived ECM scaffolds were implanted into the cartilage defects after bone marrow stimulation. In the BMS group, the cartilage defects were treated by bone marrow stimulation only. The renewal capacity of bone MSCs was measured with a colony-forming unit fibroblast (CFU-F) in vitro assay. The extent of cartilage repair was as-sessed at 6 months after surgery.

RESULTS: In the rabbit model, the macroscopic appearance of the exudate of the healing wounds in the ECM group showed less fibrosis, and the histology showed more evenly distributed chondrocytes compared with the BMS group. The CFU-F assay showed that the number of bone MSCs in the ECM group was approximately was twice that of the BMS group. In the minipig model, the macroscopic appearance and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of the ECM group were improved when compared with the BMS group. The repaired tissue in ECM group had similar histological characteristics and biochemical content to normal hyaline cartilage.

CONCLUSIONS: In two animal models of knee joint cartilage repair, the use of an ECM scaffold increased the number of bone MSCs and improved the extent of cartilage repair.

Keywords: Autoantigens, Bone Marrow, Cartilage, Articular, Swine, Miniature, Tissue Scaffolds