Adhesion and osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells: Supported by b-type carbonated hydroxylapatite

Abstract

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells are a major target for the cutting edge research in tissue regeneration. They are used extensively in biocompatibility studies aimed at evaluating new biomaterials’ effect on osteogenesis. Mesenchymal stem cells or mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells in the bone marrow residing in a unique perivascular niche together with hematopoietic stem cells. They are a heterogenous population of individual cells behaving as precursors for osteoblast, chondrocyte and adipocyte lineages. Intense work is directed towards optimization of in vitro conditions for MSCs isolation and expansion for use in tissue regeneration. In parallel, new materials for orthopedic applications are investigated. Currently used bone implant devices’ half-life is not satisfactory for the world population whose life expectancy signifi - cantly increased in the last century. Efforts are made to improve implant osseointegration in order to diminish the need for replacement surgery approximately 10 years after biomaterial insertion into the body. The present review describes the principal features of MSCs and the molecular inputs involved in controlling their differentiation to the osteoblast lineage. It further outlines improvements made to implant biomaterials using carbonated hydroxylapatite, with emphasis on B-type substitution.