Development of in vivo-like 3D vascularized osteochondral tissue

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K09504
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56020:Orthopedics-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Shimomura Kazunori 大阪大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 招へい教員 (40755998)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 松崎 典弥 大阪大学, 大学院工学研究科, 教授 (00419467) ; 中村 憲正 大阪大学, 国際医工情報センター, 招へい教授 (50273719)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 骨軟骨再生 / 三次元組織 / 骨軟骨組織 / 血管構造 / 軟骨再生 / 骨再生 / 変形性関節症 / 生体内類似構造

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we aimed to create a three-dimensional (3D) osteochondral model with the structures and functions, similar to those in vivo. For the cartilage layer, human chondrocytes were seeded in a newly developed photocrosslinkable hydrogel and type 2 collagen, and a hyaline cartilage-like 3D tissue was successfully created. For the bone layer, human mesenchymal stem cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells were co-cultured in type 1 collagen, and a bone-like tissue with a 3D vascular network was also successfully created. Although there is some rooms for further improvement of the bone layer, the present results have led to the creation of the desired 3D model.

Free Research Field

整形外科、スポーツ整形外科、再生医療、リハビリテーション

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

in vitroで生体に類似した三次元骨軟骨組織を作成することにより、in vivoでの動物実験を減らすことが可能となり、本三次元モデルを用いた変形性関節症の分子メカニズムの解明や新規変形性関節症治療薬の開発のための薬剤スクリーニングの系の確立、さらには本三次元組織を用いた新たな骨軟骨再生治療の開発へ繋がる。