Kurzfassung

The main aim of the proposed project is to combat and overcome fragmentation of European Research on the field of Tissue Engineering of Bone and Cartilage, including providing solutions for osteochondral defects. HIPPOCRATES brings together some European leading academic centers and several complementary industrial players in a multi-disciplinary consortium.
For the development of tissue engineered bone substitutes new developed materials supporting the growth of osteoblasts and endothelial...The main aim of the proposed project is to combat and overcome fragmentation of European Research on the field of Tissue Engineering of Bone and Cartilage, including providing solutions for osteochondral defects. HIPPOCRATES brings together some European leading academic centers and several complementary industrial players in a multi-disciplinary consortium.
For the development of tissue engineered bone substitutes new developed materials supporting the growth of osteoblasts and endothelial cells as well as potential sources of autologous endothelial cells are needed to achieve a better vascularization of tissue engineered bone constructs. Using the patient own cells for tissue engineering purposes would circumvent many problems associated with using cells from donors. The rationale of our study is to isolate and to characterize endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) from human peripheral blood to determine their usefulness in the endothelialization of biomaterial scaffolds. According to present knowledge EPC circulating in the peripheral blood are derived from bone marrow stem cells, which enter the peripheral blood stream after a mobilization process in response to cytokines and ischemia. In a variety of studies EPC have been shown to contribute to postnatal neovascularization, implying their therapeutic potential in the formation of new vessels or restoration of endothelial cell layers. Although this clinical potential of EPC is well established in animal models showing the integration of EPC into sites of neovascularization the distinct phenotypes contributing to this process or the underlying mechanisms are still under investigation. Although the characterization of EPC is still ongoing, mature outgrowing endothelial cells, a subpopulation of EPC with high similarities in characteristics and functions to other mature endothelial cell types such as HUVEC, seem to be an attractive source of endothelial cells. These mOEC showed very promising results in the endothelialization of biomaterial scaffolds maintaining their endothelial characteristics Therefore mOEC should be a promising source of autologous cells to achieve a better vascularization of appropriated bone tissue engineered constructs.


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