Implantation of bilayered plla scaffolds loaded with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCS) in a sheep model of osteochondral lesions

[EN] Purpose: Cartilage injuries are poorly repaired after surgery, since cartilage is a tissue with a very limited capacity to regenerate. Apart from other surgical attempts, autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) was the first cell therapy approach developed for these kinds of lesions. Chondrocyte usage nevertheless is limited by the dedifferentiation occurred when expanded in monolayer. Bone marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) emerge as ideal cells to be implanted in the site of cartilage lesions. Methods: Here we use MSC to treat sheep cartilage lesions implanted in the upper cartilage layer of bilayered PLLA scaffolds, which hold a lower layer enriched with Hydroxiapatite to…