Submit to CIMB Review for CIMB Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Recent Advances in Musculoskeletal Regenerative Medicine

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Current Issues in Molecular Biology (ISSN 1467-3045). This special issue belongs to the section "Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 9083

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Magali Cucchiarini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Center of Experimental Orthopaedics, Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrbergerstr. Bldg 37, D-66421 Homburg, Saar, Germany
Interests: molecular gene therapy; human regenerative medicine; tissue engineering; musculoskeletal research; stem cells
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Henning Madry

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Center of Experimental Orthopaedics, Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrbergerstr. Bldg 37, D-66421 Homburg, Saar, Germany
Interests: human musculoskeletal disorders; clinical orthopaedics; animal models; human regenerative medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Injuries affecting the various tissues of the musculoskeletal system (articular cartilage, bone, meniscus, and tendons/ligaments) do not fully heal by themselves due to a limited or unsatisfactory ability of these tissues for spontaneous repair. While a number of clinical options are available to address such problems, none are capable of reproducing the native tissue structures and original functions in patients, showing the vital need for novel alternatives that may improve the current therapies by stimulating reparative processes in sites of injury. In this regard, a number of molecular options may be envisaged, alone or in combination, based on the application of regenerative (differentiated or progenitor) cells, candidate genes, and biomaterials adapted for each type of tissue and disease. The goal of this Special Issue is to offer an overview of the most advanced procedures that may be used as tools to improve the healing of musculoskeletal disorders in future translational approaches.

Prof. Dr. Magali Cucchiarini
Prof. Dr. Henning Madry
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Current Issues in Molecular Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

cartilage repair
bone healing
meniscal lesions
tendons and ligament injuries
regenerative medicine
gene therapy
cell therapy
tissue engineering

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

17 pages, 5585 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Human Non-Hypertrophic Nonunion Tissue Contains Osteoblast Lineage Cells and E-BMP-2 Activates Osteogenic and Chondrogenic Differentiation

by Ryo Yoshikawa, Tomoaki Fukui, Keisuke Oe, Yohei Kumabe, Takahiro Oda, Kenichi Sawauchi, Kyohei Takase, Yuya Yamamoto, Yoshitada Sakai, Ryosuke Kuroda and Takahiro Niikura

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2022, 44(11), 5562-5578; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb44110377 - 9 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1259

Abstract

In this study, we examined the proliferation capability and osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation potential of non-hypertrophic nonunion cells (NHNCs), and the effect of Escherichia coli-derived BMP-2 (E-BMP-2) on them. We enrolled five patients with non-hypertrophic nonunion. NHNCs isolated from nonunion tissue sampled during surgery were cultured, passaged, counted every 14 days, and analyzed. NHNCs were homogenous fibroblastic adherent cells and long-lived through at least 10 passages, with a slight decline. The cells were consistently positive for mesenchymal stem cell-related markers CD73 and CD105, and negative for the hematopoietic markers CD14 and CD45. NHNCs could differentiate into osteoblast lineage cells; however, they did not have strong calcification or sufficient chondrogenic differentiation capability. E-BMP-2 did not affect the proliferative capability of the cells but improved their osteogenic differentiation capability by increasing alkaline phosphatase activity and upregulating the gene expression of osterix, bone sialoprotein, and osteocalcin. E-BMP-2 enhanced their chondrogenic differentiation capability by upregulating the gene expression of aggrecan and collagen type II. We showed, for the first time, that NHNCs have the capacity to differentiate into osteoblast-lineage cells, although the chondrogenic differentiation potential was poor. Local application of E-BMP-2 with preservation of nonunion tissue is a potential treatment option for non-hypertrophic nonunion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Musculoskeletal Regenerative Medicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 3142 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Role of MicroRNA-214 in the Rehabilitation of Cartilage in Mice with Exercise-Induced Traumatic Osteoarthritis

by Hong Cao, Xuchang Zhou, Hui Li, Miao Wang, Wei Wu and Jun Zou

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2022, 44(9), 4100-4117; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb44090281 - 7 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2019

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the possible relationship between the expression of Micro RNA-214 (miR-214) and the pathogenesis and recovery in mice with post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). In this study, 40 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into five groups: model control (MC) group, model (M) group, rehabilitation control (RC) group, model + rehabilitation (M + R) group, and model + convalescent (M + C) group. Four weeks of high-intensity treadmill exercise (HITE) and 4 weeks of moderate-intensity treadmill exercise (MITE) were implemented for PTOA modeling and rehabilitation, respectively. In vitro, 10% elongation mechanical strain was used for IL-1β stimulated chondrocytes. We found that compared with the MC group, there was a significant increase in the aspect of inflammation and catabolism while a dramatic fall in miR-214 expression was observed in the M group. After the 4 weeks of MITE, the level of inflammation and metabolism, as well as miR-214 expression, was partially reversed in the M + R group compared with the M + C group. The expression of miR-214 decreased dramatically after chondrocyte stimulation by IL-1β and then increased significantly after 10% strain was applied to IL-1β-treated cells. These results suggest that a suitable mechanical load can increase the expression of miR-214, and that miR-214 may play a chondroprotective effect in the development of OA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Musculoskeletal Regenerative Medicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 2285 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Autophagy Is Possibly Involved in Osteoblast Responses to Mechanical Loadings

by Yanghui Xing, Liang Song and Yingying Zhang

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2022, 44(8), 3611-3620; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb44080247 - 11 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1472

Abstract

Both mechanical loading and autophagy play important roles in regulating bone growth and remodeling, but the relationship between the two remains unclear. In this study, we examined bone structure with micro-CT imaging and measured bone mechanical properties with three-point bending experiments using bones from wild-type (WT) mice and conditional knockout (cKO) mice with Atg7 deletion in their osteoblasts. We found that the knockout mice had significantly less bone volume, bone thickness, bone ultimate breaking force, and bone stiffness compared to wild-type mice. Additionally, bone marrow cells from knockout mice had reduced differentiation and mineralization capacities in terms of alkaline phosphatase and calcium secretion, as well as Runx2 and osteopontin expression. Knockout mice also had significantly less relative bone formation rate due to mechanical loading. Furthermore, we found that the osteoblasts from wild-type mice had stronger responses to mechanical stimulation compared to autophagy-deficient osteoblasts from knockout mice. When inhibiting autophagy with 3 MA in wild-type osteoblasts, we found similar results as we did in autophagy-deficient osteoblasts. We also found that mechanical loading-induced ATP release is able to regulate ERK1/2, Runx2, alkaline phosphatase, and osteopontin activities. These results suggest that the ATP pathway may play an important role in the possible involvement of autophagy in osteoblast mechanobiology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Musculoskeletal Regenerative Medicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

15 pages, 2839 KiB

Open AccessReview

Relevant Properties and Potential Applications of Sericin in Bone Regeneration

by Jwa-Young Kim, Seong-Gon Kim and Umberto Garagiola

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2023, 45(8), 6728-6742; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb45080426 - 15 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1463

Abstract

The potential of sericin, a protein derived from silkworms, is explored in bone graft applications. Sericin’s biocompatibility, hydrophilic nature, and cost-effectiveness make it a promising candidate for enhancing traditional graft materials. Its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and UV-resistant properties contribute to a healthier bone-healing environment, and its incorporation into 3D-printed grafts could lead to personalized medical solutions. However, despite these promising attributes, there are still gaps in our understanding. The precise mechanism through which sericin influences bone cell growth and healing is not fully understood, and more comprehensive clinical trials are needed to confirm its long-term biocompatibility in humans. Furthermore, the best methods for incorporating sericin into existing graft materials are still under investigation, and potential allergic reactions or immune responses to sericin need further study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Musculoskeletal Regenerative Medicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 2131 KiB

Open AccessReview

Application and Molecular Mechanisms of Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Osteoporosis

by Yajing Yang, Lei Yuan, Hong Cao, Jianmin Guo, Xuchang Zhou and Zhipeng Zeng

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2022, 44(12), 6346-6367; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb44120433 - 15 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2009

Abstract

Osteoporosis (OP) is a chronic bone disease characterized by decreased bone mass, destroyed bone microstructure, and increased bone fragility. Accumulative evidence shows that extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) (MSC-EVs), especially exosomes (Exos), exhibit great potential in the treatment of OP. However, the research on MSC-EVs in the treatment of OP is still in the initial stage. The potential mechanism has not been fully clarified. Therefore, by reviewing the relevant literature of MSC-EVs and OP in recent years, we summarized the latest application of bone targeted MSC-EVs in the treatment of OP and further elaborated the potential mechanism of MSC-EVs in regulating bone formation, bone resorption, bone angiogenesis, and immune regulation through internal bioactive molecules to alleviate OP, providing a theoretical basis for the related research of MSC-EVs in the treatment of OP. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Musculoskeletal Regenerative Medicine)

► Show Figures