Neither Notch1 expression nor cellular size correlate with mesenchymal stem cell properties of adult articular chondrocytes.
Journal article, 2008
BACKGROUND: Tissue repair is thought to be regulated by progenitor cells, which in other tissues are characterized by their Notch1 expression or small cellular size. Here we studied if these traits affect the chondrogenic potential and are markers for multipotent progenitor cell populations in adult articular cartilage. METHODS: Directly isolated articular chondrocytes were sorted with regard to their Notch1 expression or cellular size. Their colony forming efficiency (CFE) and their potential to differentiate towards adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic lineages were investigated. The different sorted populations were also expanded in monolayer and analyzed in the same manner as the directly isolated cells. RESULTS: No differences in CFE or adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic potentials were detected among the sorted populations. Expanded cells displayed a higher osteochondral potential than directly isolated cells. CONCLUSION: Cellular size or Notch1 expression is not per se a specific marker for mesenchymal progenitor cells in adult articular cartilage. Monolayer-expanded adult chondrocytes contain a larger mesenchymal progenitor cell-like population than directly isolated cells, highly likely as a result of dedifferentiation. If there are resident Notch1-positive cells or cells of a specific size in adult articular cartilage with functional features of progenitor cells, the population consists of only a very small number of cells.
Cattle
Flow Cytometry
Cell Size
Adult Stem Cells
Receptor
Mesenchymal Stem Cells
cytology
metabolism
cytology
Cell Differentiation
metabolism
Colony-Forming Units Assay
Notch1
metabolism
Cell Culture Techniques
metabolism
Articular
Osteogenesis
cytology
cytology
Cartilage
metabolism
Immunohistochemistry
Cell Separation
Animals
Adipogenesis
Chondrocytes
Author
Camilla Karlsson
University of Gothenburg
Hanna Stenhamre
University of Gothenburg
Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Polymer Technology
Joakim Sandstedt
University of Gothenburg
Anders Lindahl
University of Gothenburg
Cells Tissues Organs
1422-6405 (ISSN) 1422-6421 (eISSN)
Vol. 187 4 275-85Subject Categories
Cell Biology
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Cell and Molecular Biology
DOI
10.1159/000113409
PubMed
18187938