The biological pacemaker has become a new strategy in the treatment of severe bradycardias, in which a kind of ideal pacemaker cells is a pivotal factor. Here we reviewed the progress in the differentiation of bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells and adipose-derived stem cells into pacemaker-like cells by means of gene transfer, chemical molecules, co-culture with other cells and specific culture media, and we also analyzed the potential issues to be solved when they are used as seeding cells of biological pacemaker.
ObjectiveTo study the potential protective effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on chondrocytes injured by interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and the resistant capacity of chondrocytes when co-cultured indirectly with BMSCs against IL-1β. MethodsSix Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into experimental group (articular cartilage defects) and control group. The content and gene expression of IL-1β were detected at 6 hours after surgical intervention by quantitative real time RCR (qRT-PCR) and ELISA. BMSCs repairing function test: the 18-holes cultured chondrocytes were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=6): cells of blank group were not treated;cells of injured group and co-cultured group were intervened by IL-1β, and Transwell chamber was used to establish co-culture system of BMSCs with chondrocyte in co-cultured group. The mRNA relative expressions of cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase 3 (Caspase 3), a disintegrin and metalloprotease with Thrombospondin motifs 4 (ADAMTS-4), and ADAMTS-5 were measured via qRT-PCR in chondrocytes, meanwhile Caspase-3 content was detected via ELISA, and the cell apoptosis rate was detected via flow cytometry. BMSCs protecting function test: the 12-holes cultured chondrocytes were randomly divided into 2 groups (n=6), Transwell chamber was used to establish co-culture system of BMSCs with chondrocyte in co-cultured group before the 2 groups were both intervened by IL-1β, then the same detected indexes were taken as the BMSCs repairing function test. ResultsAnimal in vivo studies showed that relative expression of IL-1β mRNA and IL-1β contents were significantly higher in experimental group than control group (P<0.05). BMSCs repair tests showed that mRNA relative expressions of Caspase-3, ADAMTS-4, and ADAMTS-5, Caspase-3 content, and cell apoptosis rate were significantly higher in injured group and co-cultured group than blank group, and in injured group than co-cultured group (P<0.05). BMSCs protect tests showed that mRNA relative expressions of Caspase-3, ADAMTS-4, and ADAMTS-5, Caspase-3 content, and cell apoptosis rate in co-cultured group were significantly lower than those in control group (P<0.05). ConclusionBMSCs, as seed cells for tissue engineering, have potential for applications to anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis.