Comparison of Electrophysiological Properties and Gene Expressionbetween Human Chondrocytes and Chondroprogenitors Derived from Normal andOsteoarthritic Cartilage

摘要

Bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and chondrocytes are currently usedfor cell-based therapy in cartilage repair. Chondroprogenitors (CPs),resident cells of articular cartilage, demonstrate likeness to stem cells.Reports suggest that chondrocytes phenotype is altered in culture, thusmaking differentiation between the two cell populations difficult. Ourobjectives were to electrophysiologically assess chondrocytes and CPs,compare their mRNA expression with that of ionic channels already reportedin MSCs, and to observe the effect of time in culture and osteoarthriticdamage on cells.