Effects of mineralization on the hierarchical organization of collagen-a synchrotron X-ray scattering and polarized second harmonic generation study.

The process of mineralization fundamentally alters collagenous tissue biomechanics. While the structure and organization of mineral particles have been widely studied, the impact of mineralization on collagen matrix structure, particularly at the molecular scale, requires further investigation. In this study, synchrotron X-ray scattering (XRD) and polarization-resolved second harmonic generation microscopy (pSHG) were used to study normally mineralizing turkey leg tendon in tissue zones representing different stages of mineralization. XRD data demonstrated statistically significant differences in collagen D-period, intermolecular spacing, fibril and molecular dispersion and relative supramolecular twists between non-mineralizing, early mineralizing and late mineralizing zones. pSHG analysis of the same tendon zones showed the degree of collagen fibril organization was significantly greater in early and late mineralizing zones compared to non-mineralizing zones. The combination of XRD and pSHG data provide new insights into hierarchical collagen-mineral interactions, notably concerning possible cleavage of intra- or interfibrillar bonds, occlusion and reorganization of collagen by mineral with time. The complementary application of XRD and fast, label-free and non-destructive pSHG optical measurements presents a pathway for future investigations into the dynamics of molecular scale changes in collagen in the presence of increasing mineral deposition.

Toward understanding the cellular control of vertebrate mineralization: The potential role of mitochondria.

This review examines the possible role of mitochondria in maintaining calcium and phosphate ion homeostasis and participating in the mineralization of bone, cartilage and other vertebrate hard tissues. The paper builds on the known structural features of mitochondria and the documented observations in these tissues that the organelles contain calcium phosphate granules. Such deposits in mitochondria putatively form to buffer excessively high cytosolic calcium ion concentrations and prevent metabolic deficits and even cell death. While mitochondria protect cytosolic enzyme systems through this buffering capacity, the accumulation of calcium ions by mitochondria promotes the activity of enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA/Krebs) cycle, increases oxidative phosphorylation and ATP synthesis, and leads to changes in intramitochondrial pH. These pH alterations influence ion solubility and possibly the transitions and composition in the mineral phase structure of the granules. Based on these considerations, mitochondria are proposed to support the mineralization process by providing a mobile store of calcium and phosphate ions, in smaller cluster or larger granule form, while maintaining critical cellular activities. The rise in the mitochondrial calcium level also increases the generation of citrate and other TCA cycle intermediates that contribute to cell function and the development of extracellular mineral. This paper suggests that another key role of the mitochondrion, along with the effects just noted, is to supply phosphate ions, derived from the breakdown of ATP, to endolysosomes and autophagic vesicles originating in the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi and at the plasma membrane. These many separate but interdependent mitochondrial functions emphasize the critical importance of this organelle in the cellular control of vertebrate mineralization.

Ethanol treatment of nanoPGA/PCL composite scaffolds enhances human chondrocyte development in the cellular microenvironment of tissue-engineered auricle constructs.

A major obstacle for tissue engineering ear-shaped cartilage is poorly developed tissue comprising cell-scaffold constructs. To address this issue, bioresorbable scaffolds of poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) and polyglycolic acid nanofibers (nanoPGA) were evaluated using an ethanol treatment step before auricular chondrocyte scaffold seeding, an approach considered to enhance scaffold hydrophilicity and cartilage regeneration. Auricular chondrocytes were isolated from canine ears and human surgical samples discarded during otoplasty, including microtia reconstruction. Canine chondrocytes were seeded onto PCL and nanoPGA sheets either with or without ethanol treatment to examine cellular adhesion in vitro. Human chondrocytes were seeded onto three-dimensional bioresorbable composite scaffolds (PCL with surface coverage of nanoPGA) either with or without ethanol treatment and then implanted into athymic mice for 10 and 20 weeks. On construct retrieval, scanning electron microscopy showed canine auricular chondrocytes seeded onto ethanol-treated scaffolds in vitro developed extended cell processes contacting scaffold surfaces, a result suggesting cell-scaffold adhesion and a favorable microenvironment compared to the same cells with limited processes over untreated scaffolds. Adhesion of canine chondrocytes was statistically significantly greater (p ≤ 0.05) for ethanol-treated compared to untreated scaffold sheets. After implantation for 10 weeks, constructs of human auricular chondrocytes seeded onto ethanol-treated scaffolds were covered with glossy cartilage while constructs consisting of the same cells seeded onto untreated scaffolds revealed sparse connective tissue and cartilage regeneration. Following 10 weeks of implantation, RT-qPCR analyses of chondrocytes grown on ethanol-treated scaffolds showed greater expression levels for several cartilage-related genes compared to cells developed on untreated scaffolds with statistically significantly increased SRY-box transcription factor 5 (SOX5) and decreased interleukin-1α (inflammation-related) expression levels (p ≤ 0.05). Ethanol treatment of scaffolds led to increased cartilage production for 20- compared to 10-week constructs. While hydrophilicity of scaffolds was not assessed directly in the present findings, a possible factor supporting the summary data is that hydrophilicity may be enhanced for ethanol-treated nanoPGA/PCL scaffolds, an effect leading to improvement of chondrocyte adhesion, the cellular microenvironment and cartilage regeneration in tissue-engineered auricle constructs.

Spatial survey of non-collagenous proteins in mineralizing and non-mineralizing vertebrate tissues ex vivo.

Bone biomineralization is a complex process in which type I collagen and associated non-collagenous proteins (NCPs), including glycoproteins and proteoglycans, interact closely with inorganic calcium and phosphate ions to control the precipitation of nanosized, non-stoichiometric hydroxyapatite (HAP, idealized stoichiometry Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) within the organic matrix of a tissue. The ability of certain vertebrate tissues to mineralize is critically related to several aspects of their function. The goal of this study was to identify specific NCPs in mineralizing and non-mineralizing tissues of two animal models, rat and turkey, and to determine whether some NCPs are unique to each type of tissue. The tissues investigated were rat femur (mineralizing) and tail tendon (non-mineralizing) and turkey leg tendon (having both mineralizing and non-mineralizing regions in the same individual specimen). An experimental approach ex vivo was designed for this investigation by combining sequential protein extraction with comprehensive protein mapping using proteomics and Western blotting. The extraction method enabled separation of various NCPs based on their association with either the extracellular organic collagenous matrix phases or the inorganic mineral phases of the tissues. The proteomics work generated a complete picture of NCPs in different tissues and animal species. Subsequently, Western blotting provided validation for some of the proteomics findings. The survey then yielded generalized results relevant to various protein families, rather than only individual NCPs. This study focused primarily on the NCPs belonging to the small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family and the small integrin-binding ligand N-linked glycoproteins (SIBLINGs). SLRPs were found to be associated only with the collagenous matrix, a result suggesting that they are mainly involved in structural matrix organization and not in mineralization. SIBLINGs as well as matrix Gla (γ-carboxyglutamate) protein were strictly localized within the inorganic mineral phase of mineralizing tissues, a finding suggesting that their roles are limited to mineralization. The results from this study indicated that osteocalcin was closely involved in mineralization but did not preclude possible additional roles as a hormone. This report provides for the first time a spatial survey and comparison of NCPs from mineralizing and non-mineralizing tissues ex vivo and defines the proteome of turkey leg tendons as a model for vertebrate mineralization.

Induced hypothyroidism alters articular cartilage in skeletally immature miniature swine.

PURPOSE/AIM: Thyroid hormone has been implicated in the normal growth and development of articular cartilage; however, its effect on a disease state, such as hypothyroidism, is unknown. The purpose of this investigation was to compare normal articular cartilage from proximal femurs of immature miniature swine to proximal femurs from hypothyroid-induced immature miniature swine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two 11-week-old male Sinclair miniature swine were made hypothyroid by administration of 6-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU) in their drinking water; two control animals did not receive PTU. At 25 weeks of age, the animals were euthanized and their proximal femurs were fixed and decalcified. Samples were sectioned and analyzed by histology to define extracellular matrix (ECM) structure, immunohistochemistry (IHC) to identify types II and X collagen, and histomorphometry to assess articular cartilage mean total and localized height and cell density. Statistics included nested mixed-effects ANOVA with p ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Compared to controls, hypothyroid articular cartilage demonstrated statistically significant quantitative differences in mean tissue height, mean cell density and type II collagen localized zone height. Qualitative differences in ECM proteoglycans and overall collagen types were also found. Type X collagen was not detected in either hypothyroid or control articular cartilage specimens. CONCLUSIONS: Significant changes in articular cartilage structure in hypothyroid compared to control immature miniature swine suggest that thyroid hormone is critical in the growth and development of articular cartilage. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Understanding articular cartilage development in immature animal models may provide insight into healing or repair of degenerative human articular cartilage.

Characterization of Tissue-Engineered Human Periosteum and Allograft Bone Constructs: The Potential of Periosteum in Bone Regenerative Medicine.

Delayed-union or non-union between a host bone and a graft is problematic in clinical treatment of segmental bone defects in orthopedic cases. Based on a preliminary study of human periosteum allografts from this laboratory, the present work has extensively investigated the use of human cadaveric tissue-engineered periosteum-allograft constructs as an approach to healing such serious orthopedic surgical situations. In this current report, human cadaveric periosteum-wrapped bone allografts and counterpart controls without periosteum were implanted subcutaneously in athymic mice (nu/nu) for 10, 20, and, for the first time, 40 weeks. Specimens were then harvested and assessed by histological and gene expression analyses. Compared to controls, the presence of new bone formation and resorption in periosteum-allograft constructs was indicated in both histology and gene expression results over 40 weeks of implantation. Of several genes also examined for the first time, RANKL and SOST expression levels increased in a statistically significant manner, data suggesting that bone formation and the presence of increasing numbers of osteocytes in bone matrices had increased with time. The tissue-engineering strategy described in this study provides a possible means of improving delayed-union or non-union at the healing sites of segmental bone defects or bone fractures. The potential of periosteum and its resident cells could thereby be utilized effectively in tissue-engineering methods and tissue regenerative medicine.

An analytical study of neocartilage from microtia and otoplasty surgical remnants: A possible application for BMP7 in microtia development and regeneration.

To investigate auricular reconstruction by tissue engineering means, this study compared cartilage regenerated from human chondrocytes obtained from either microtia or normal (conchal) tissues discarded from otoplasties. Isolated cells were expanded in vitro, seeded onto nanopolyglycolic acid (nanoPGA) sheets with or without addition of bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP7), and implanted in nude mice for 10 weeks. On specimen harvest, cartilage development was assessed by gross morphology, histology, and RT-qPCR and microarray analyses. Neocartilages from normal and microtia surgical tissues were found equivalent in their dimensions, qualitative degree of proteoglycan and elastic fiber staining, and quantitative gene expression levels of types II and III collagen, elastin, and SOX5. Microarray analysis, applied for the first time for normal and microtia neocartilage comparison, yielded no genes that were statistically significantly different in expression between these two sample groups. These results support use of microtia tissue as a cell source for normal auricular reconstruction. Comparison of normal and microtia cells, each seeded on nanoPGA and supplemented with BMP7 in a slow-release hydrogel, showed statistically significant differences in certain genes identified by microarray analysis. Such differences were also noted in several analyses comparing counterpart seeded cells without BMP7. Summary data suggest a possible application for BMP7 in microtia cartilage regeneration and encourage further studies to elucidate whether such genotypic differences translate to phenotypic characteristics of the human microtic ear. The present work advances understanding relevant to the potential clinical use of microtia surgical remnants as a suitable cell source for tissue engineering of the pinna.

Three-dimensional structural interrelations between cells, extracellular matrix, and mineral in normally mineralizing avian leg tendon.

The spatial-temporal relationship between cells, extracellular matrices, and mineral deposits is fundamental for an improved understanding of mineralization mechanisms in vertebrate tissues. By utilizing focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy with serial surface imaging, normally mineralizing avian tendons have been studied with nanometer resolution in three dimensions with volumes exceeding tens of micrometers in range. These parameters are necessary to yield sufficiently fine ultrastructural details while providing a comprehensive overview of the interrelationships between the tissue structural constituents. Investigation reveals a complex lacuno-canalicular network in highly mineralized tendon regions, where ∼100 nm diameter canaliculi emanating from cell (tenocyte) lacunae surround extracellular collagen fibril bundles. Canaliculi are linked to smaller channels of ∼40 nm diameter, occupying spaces between fibrils. Close to the tendon mineralization front, calcium-rich deposits appear between the fibrils and, with time, mineral propagates along and within them. These close associations between tenocytes, tenocyte lacunae, canaliculi, small channels, collagen, and mineral suggest a concept for the mineralization process, where ions and/or mineral precursors may be transported through spaces between fibrils before they crystallize along the surface of and within the fibrils.

An investigation to validate the equivalence of physes obtained from different anatomic regions in a single animal species: Implications for choosing experimental controls in clinical studies.

Control tissue in studies of various orthopedic pathologies is difficult to obtain and presumably equivalent biopsies from other anatomic sites have been utilized in its place. However, for growth plates, different anatomic regions are subject to dissimilar mechanical forces and produce disproportionate longitudinal growth. The purpose of this study was to compare gene expression and structure in normal physes from different anatomic regions within a single animal species to determine whether such physes were equivalent. Thirteen female New Zealand white rabbits (five 15-week-old and eight 19-week-old animals) were euthanized and physes harvested from their proximal and distal femurs and proximal tibiae. Harvested physes were divided into groups for histological, immunohistochemical (IHC), and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses. All physes analyzed demonstrated no apparent differences in morphology or proteoglycan staining intensity on histological examination or in type II collagen presence determined by IHC study. Histomorphometric measures of physeal height as well as gene expression of type II collagen and aggrecan were found to be statistically significantly equivalent (p < 0.05) among the three different bones from the total number of rabbits. Summary data suggest that the structural similarities and statistical equivalence determined among the various physes investigated in the rabbit validate these tissues in this species for use as surrogate controls by which physeal abnormalities may be compared and characterized in the absence of otherwise normal control tissues. Other species may exhibit the same similarities and equivalence among different physes so that such tissues may serve in like manner as controls for assessing a variety of orthopedic conditions, including those occurring in humans.

Correlations between gene expression and mineralization in the avian leg tendon.

Certain avian tendons have been studied previously as a model system for normal mineralization of vertebrates in general. In this regard, the gastrocnemius tendon in the legs of turkeys mineralizes in a well defined temporal and spatial manner such that changes in the initial and subsequent events of mineral formation can be associated with time and specific locations in the tissue. In the present investigation, these parameters and mineral deposition have been correlated with the expression of several genes and the synthesis and secretion of their related extracellular matrix proteins by the composite tenocytes of the tendon. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrates that mRNA expression of the non-collagenous genes of bone sialoprotein, osteopontin, and osteocalcin corresponds well with the temporal and spatial onset and progression of mineralization. Immunolocalization separately confirms the synthesis and secretion of these matrix molecules. The expression of other non-collagenous genes such as decorin does not show strong correlation with turkey leg tendon mineralization, and expression of vimentin, a cytoskeletal component which may be regulated by biomechanical factors in the tendon, may lead to inhibition of osteocalcin expression during the development and mineralization of the tissue. The overall results of this work provide insight into direct temporal and spatial relations between the genes and proteins of interest as well as the formation and deposition of mineral in the avian tendon model.

A Method for the Immunohistochemical Identification and Localization of Osterix in Periosteum-Wrapped Constructs for Tissue Engineering of Bone.

A novel immunohistochemistry (IHC) approach has been developed to label and localize osterix, a bone-specific transcription factor, within formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, tissue-engineered constructs uniquely containing synthetic polymers and human periosteal tissue. Generally, such specimens consisting in part of polymeric materials and mineral are particularly difficult for IHC identification of proteins. Samples here were fabricated from human periosteum, electrospun poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) nanofibers, and polycaprolactone/poly-l-lactic acid (PCL/PLLA, 75/25) scaffolds and harvested following 10 weeks of implantation in athymic mice. Heat-induced and protease-induced epitope retrieval methods from selected existing protocols were examined to identify osterix. All such protease-induced techniques were unsuccessful. Heat-induced retrieval gave positive results for osterix immunohistochemical staining in sodium citrate/EDTA/Tween 20 with high heat (120C) and pressure (~30 psi) for 10 min, but the heat and pressure levels resulted in tissue damage and section delamination from slides that limited protocol effectiveness. Heat-induced epitope retrieval led to other osterix-positive staining results achieved with minimal impact on structural integrity of the tissue and polymers in sodium citrate/EDTA/Tween 20 buffer at 60C and normal pressure (14.5 psi) for 72 hr. The latter approach identified osterix-positive cells by IHC within periosteal tissue, layers of electrospun PLLA nanofibers, and underlying PCL/PLLA scaffolds of the tissue-engineered constructs.

Long-Term Comparison between Human Normal Conchal and Microtia Chondrocytes Regenerated by Tissue Engineering on Nanofiber Polyglycolic Acid Scaffolds.

BACKGROUND: Previous regeneration studies of auricle-shaped cartilage by tissue engineering leave unresolved whether the chondrocyte phenotype from human auricular chondrocytes seeded onto polymeric scaffolds is retained over the long term and whether microtia remnants may be a viable cell source for auricular reconstruction. METHODS: Chondrocytes were isolated from human ears, either normal conchal ear or microtia cartilage remnants, expanded in vitro, and seeded onto nanoscale-diameter polyglycolic acid sheets. These tissue-engineered constructs were implanted into athymic mice for up to 40 weeks. At harvest times of 5, 10, 20, and 40 weeks, samples were documented by gross morphology, histology, and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. RESULTS: Neocartilages generated from the two types of surgical tissues were similar in appearance of their extracellular matrices and positive staining for elastin and proteoglycans. In the 5- to 40-week time interval, there was an increasing trend in gene expression for type II collagen, elastin, and sex determining region Y box 5, important to normal cartilage phenotype, and a decreasing trend in gene expression for type III collagen, a fibroblast and dedifferentiation marker. Over 40 weeks of implantation, the original nanoscale-diameter polyglycolic acid scaffold dimensions (1 cm × 1 cm × 80 µm) were generally maintained in tissue-engineered cartilage length and width, and thickness was statistically significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: Auricular cartilage can be regenerated over the long term (40 weeks) from surgical remnants by tissue-engineering techniques incorporating nanoscale-diameter polyglycolic acid scaffolds. Based on the present assays, microtia neocartilage very closely resembles tissue-engineered cartilage regenerated from chondrocytes isolated from normal conchal cartilage.

Recent Applications of Coaxial and Emulsion Electrospinning Methods in the Field of Tissue Engineering.

Electrospinning has emerged as an effective method of producing nanoscale fibers for use in multiple fields of study. One area of significant interest is nanofiber utilization for tissue engineering because the nanofibrous mats can mimic the native extracellular matrix of biological tissues. A logical next step is the inclusion of certain molecules and compounds to accelerate or increase the efficacy of tissue regeneration. Two methods are under scrutiny for their capability to encapsulate therapeutic compounds within electrospun nanofibers: emulsion and coaxial electrospinning. Both have advantages and disadvantages, which need to be taken into careful consideration when deciding to use them in a specific application. Several examples are provided here to highlight the vast potential of multilayered nanofibers as well as the emergence of new techniques to produce three-dimensional scaffolds of nanofibers for use in the field of tissue engineering.

Microarray analysis of slipped capital femoral epiphysis growth plates.

BACKGROUND: Microarray technology has been used to analyze gene expression in patients with and without slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE). METHODS: Proximal femoral physis core biopsies from two patients with SCFE were compared with two control specimens from age-matched patients without SCFE. Extracted RNA from frozen ground samples was subjected to microarray analysis with data tests for statistical significance between SCFE and control tissues. RESULTS: Compared to controls, SCFE samples demonstrated significant up-regulation in gene expression pathways involving physiological defense and inflammatory responses and significant down-regulation in the regulation of cellular physiologic processes, cellular metabolic pathways, and skeletal development pathways including expression of aggrecan and type II collagen, genes affecting physeal structure and integrity. CONCLUSIONS: Up-regulation of inflammatory and immune response pathways in SCFE compared to controls relates to physeal mechanical displacement in SCFE. Globalized down-regulation of several other pathways suggests growth plate weakening. These novel microarray findings further define SCFE etiology.

Concentration-Dependent hMSC Differentiation on Orthogonal Concentration Gradients of GRGDS and BMP-2 Peptides.

Self-assembled monolayer substrates containing tethered orthogonal concentration profiles of GRGDS (glycine/arginine/glycine/aspartic acid/serine) and BMP-2 (bone morphogenetic protein) peptides are shown to accelerate or decelerate, depending on the concentrations, the proliferation and osteoblastic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) populations in vitro without the use of osteogenic additives in culture medium. Concurrently, the single peptide gradient controls (GRGDS or BMP-2 only) induce significantly different proliferation and differentiation behavior from the orthogonal substrates. Bone sialoprotein (BSP) and Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) PCR data acquired from hMSC populations isolated by laser capture microdissection correspond spatially and temporally to protein marker data obtained from immunofluorescent imaging tracking of the differentiation process. Although genomic and protein data at high concentrations area GRGDS (71-83 pmol/cm(2)):BMP-2 (25 pmol/cm(2)) reveal an implicit acceleration on the hMSC differentiation timeline relative to the individual peptide concentrations, most of the GRGDS and BMP-2 combinations displayed significant antagonistic behavior during the hMSC differentiation. These data highlight the utility of the orthogonal gradient approach to aid in identifying optimal concentration ranges of translationally relevant peptides and growth factors for targeting cell lineage commitment.

Matrix vesicles: Are they anchored exosomes?

Numerous studies have documented that matrix vesicles are unique extracellular membrane-bound microparticles that serve as initial sites for mineral formation in the growth plate and most other vertebrate mineralizing tissues. Microparticle generation is not confined to hard tissues, as cells in soft tissues generate similar structures; numerous studies have shown that a common type of extracellular particle, termed an exosome, a product of the endosomal pathway, shares many characteristics of matrix vesicles. Indeed, analyses of size, morphology and lipid and protein content indicate that matrix vesicles and exosomes are homologous structures. Such a possibility impacts our understanding of the biogenesis, processing and function of matrix vesicles (exosomes) in vertebrate hard tissues and explains in part how cells control the earliest stages of mineral deposition. Moreover, since exosomes influence a spectrum of functions, including cell-cell communication, it is suggested that this type of microparticle may provide a mechanism for the transfer of signaling molecules between cells within the growth plate and thereby regulate endochondral bone development and formation.

Gene expression differences between ruptured anterior cruciate ligaments in young male and female subjects.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries is two to eightfold greater in female compared with male athletes. Anatomic, hormonal, and neuromuscular factors have been associated with this disparity. This study compared gene expression and structural features in ruptured but otherwise normal ACL tissue from young female and male athletes. METHODS: A biopsy sample of ruptured ACL tissue (which would normally have been discarded) was obtained intraoperatively from seven female and seven male athletes (12.7 to 22.6 years old). Each sample was divided into portions for histological and gene expression analyses. Specimens for gene analysis were frozen and ground, and RNA was extracted and purified. Microarray analysis was performed on RNA isolated from four female and three male study participants (13.9 to 18.5 years old) who had a noncontact injury. Genes with an expression level that differed significantly between these female and male athletes were grouped into functionally associated networks with use of IPA software (Qiagen). Three genes of interest were chosen for further validation by RT-qPCR (reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction) analysis of the samples from all fourteen patients. Several statistical methods were used to examine sex-related differences. RESULTS: Microarray analysis of the RNA isolated from the ruptured ACL tissue from the female and male athletes identified thirty-two genes with significant differential expression. Fourteen of these genes were not linked to the X or Y chromosome. IPA analysis grouped these genes into pathways involving development and function of skeletal muscle and growth, maintenance, and proliferation of cells. RT-qPCR confirmed significant differences in expression of three selected genes: ACAN (aggrecan) and FMOD (fibromodulin) were upregulated in female compared with male study participants, and WISP2 (WNT1 inducible signaling pathway protein 2) was downregulated. No morphological differences among the ruptured tissue from the various participants were apparent on histological examination. CONCLUSIONS: The genes identified in this study as differing distinctly according to sex produce major molecules in the ACL extracellular matrix. Significant upregulation of ACAN and FMOD (which regulate the matrix) and downregulation of WISP2 (which is involved in collagen turnover and production) may account for the weaker ACLs in female compared with male individuals.

Refinement of collagen-mineral interaction: a possible role for osteocalcin in apatite crystal nucleation, growth and development.

Mineralization of vertebrate tissues such as bone, dentin, cementum, and calcifying tendon involves type I collagen, which has been proposed as a template for calcium and phosphate ion binding and subsequent nucleation of apatite crystals. Type I collagen thereby has been suggested to be responsible for the deposition of apatite mineral without the need for non-collagenous proteins or other extracellular matrix molecules. Based on studies in vitro, non-collagenous proteins, including osteocalcin and bone sialoprotein, are thought to mediate vertebrate mineralization associated with type I collagen. These proteins, as possibly related to mineral deposition, have not been definitively localized in vivo. The present study has reexamined their localization in the leg tendons of avian turkeys, a representative model of vertebrate mineralization. Immunocytochemistry of osteocalcin demonstrates its presence at the surface of, outside and within type I collagen while that of bone sialoprotein appears to be localized at the surface of or outside type I collagen. The association between osteocalcin and type I collagen structure is revealed optimally when calcium ions are added to the antibody solution in the methodology. In this manner, osteocalcin is found specifically located along the a4-1, b1, c2 and d bands defining in part the hole and overlap zones within type I collagen. From these data, while type I collagen itself may be considered a stereochemical guide for intrafibrillar mineral nucleation and subsequent deposition, osteocalcin bound to type I collagen may also possibly mediate nucleation, growth and development of platelet-shaped apatite crystals. Bone sialoprotein and osteocalcin as well, each immunolocalized at the surface of or outside type I collagen, may affect mineral deposition in these portions of the avian tendon.

Molecular mechanisms for intrafibrillar collagen mineralization in skeletal tissues.

The critical role of the self-assembled structure of collagen in skeletal mineralization is long recognized, yet the angstrom to tens of nanometers length-scale nucleation mechanism of calcium phosphate mineral (Ca-Pi) remains unclear. Here, by constructing three-dimensional structure of collagen fibril, we report direct computational evidence of intrafibrillar Ca-Pi nucleation in the collagen matrix and illustrate the crucial role of charged amino acid sidechains of collagen molecules in nucleation. The all-atom Hamiltonian replica exchange molecular dynamics simulation shows that these charged sidechains are oriented toward the fibril "hole zones" and significantly template nucleation with amorphous Ca-Pi phase, ∼1.3-1.6 nm in size, thus explaining the empirical observations that Ca-Pi nucleates principally in these regions. We also show that the low water density of about 0.70 g cm(-3) in these zones may further benefit nucleation by lowering the enthalpic penalty for ion desolvation. This work provides insight, at the atomistic level, into the nucleation mechanism of bone crystals within a collagen matrix for understanding mineral deposition, interpreting mineralization experiments and guiding the design of new implantable materials.

Effects of FGF-2 and OP-1 in vitro on donor source cartilage for auricular reconstruction tissue engineering.

OBJECTIVE: Microtia is a congenital partial or total loss of the external ear with current treatment approaches involving autologous construction from costal cartilage. Alternatively, tissue engineering provides possible use of normal or microtia auricular chondrocytes harvested from patients. This study investigated effects in vitro of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) and osteogenic protein 1 (OP-1) on human pediatric normal and microtia auricular chondrocytes and their potential proliferation and differentiation for cellular expansion. A working hypothesis was that FGF-2 promotes proliferation and OP-1 maintains an auricular phenotype of these cells. METHODS: Two patients, one undergoing otoplasty and one an ear construction, yielded normal and microtia auricular chondrocytes, respectively. The two donor sets of isolated chondrocytes were equally divided into four experimental cell groups. These were controls without added growth factors and cells supplemented with FGF-2, OP-1 or FGF-2/OP-1 combined. Cells were cultured 3, 5, 7, and 10 days (3 replicates/time point), counted and assayed by RT-qPCR to determine elastin and types II and III collagen gene expression. RESULTS: Compared to control counterparts, normal and microtia chondrocytes with OP-1 alone were similar in numbers and varied in elastin and types II and III collagen expression over all culture times. Compared to respective controls and chondrocyte groups with OP-1 alone, normal and microtia cell groups with FGF-2 had statistically significant (p<0.05) enhanced proliferation and statistically significant (p<0.05) decreased elastin and types II and III collagen expression over 10 days of culture. CONCLUSIONS: FGF-2 effects on normal and microtia chondrocytes support its use for increasing cell numbers while OP-1 maintains a chondrocyte phenotype, otherwise marked by increasing type III collagen expression and cellular dedifferentiation to fibroblasts in culture.