0000000000730378
AUTHOR
Bernhard Watzer
Immobilization and controlled release of prostaglandin E2 from poly-L-lactide-co-glycolide microspheres.
Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) is an arachidonic acid metabolite involved in physiological homeostasis and numerous pathophysiological conditions. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that prostaglandins have a stimulating effect not only on angiogenesis in situ and in vitro but also on chondrocyte proliferation in vitro. Thus, PGE(2) represents an interesting signaling molecule for various tissue engineering strategies. However, under physiological conditions, PGE(2) has a half-life time of only 10 min, which limits its use in biomedical applications. In the present study, we investigated if the incorporation of PGE(2) into biodegradable poly-L-lactide-co-glycolide microspheres results in a …
The effect of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha on human joint capsule myofibroblasts.
Introduction Previous studies have shown that the number of myoblastically differentiated fibroblasts known as myofibroblasts (MFs) is significantly increased in stiff joint capsules, indicating their crucial role in the pathogenesis of post-traumatic joint stiffness. Although the mode of MFs' function has been well defined for different diseases associated with tissue fibrosis, the underlying mechanisms of their regulation in the pathogenesis of post-traumatic joint capsule contracture are largely unknown. Methods In this study, we examined the impact of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) on cellular functions of human joint capsule MFs. MFs were challenged w…
Tomographic and Topographic Investigation of Poly-D,L-Lactide-Co-Glycolide Microspheres Loaded with Prostaglandine E<sub>2</sub> for Extended Drug Release Applications
Polymeric, biodegradable microspheres represent a good reliable system to investigate the release of bioactive substances in both in vitro and in vivo applications. Common biomaterials for the synthesis of these microspheres are aliphatic polyesters of the poly(α-hydroxy)acids, especially poly-L-lactides (PLA) and polyglycolides (PGA) or their copolymers poly-D,L-lactide-co-glycolides (PLGA). In our own previous studies we have developed PLGA microspheres with integrated PGE2 as model substance for a wide range of biomedical applications, especially in angiogenesis, fracture healing and cartilage repair. The synthesis is based on a binary solvent in water emulsion approach, where two differ…
Phenotypic redifferentiation and cell cluster formation of cultured human articular chondrocytes in a three-dimensional oriented gelatin scaffold in the presence of PGE2- first results of a pilot study
Modern tissue engineering strategies comprise three elemental parameters: cells, scaffolds and growth factors. Articular cartilage represents a highly specialized tissue which allows frictionless gliding of corresponding articulating surfaces. As the regenerative potential of cartilage is low, tissue engineering-based strategies for cartilage regeneration represent a huge challenge. Prostaglandins function as regulators in cartilage development and metabolism, especially in growth plate chondrocytes. In this study, it was analyzed if prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) has an effect on the phenotypic differentiation of human chondrocytes cultured in a three-dimensional (3D) gelatin-based scaffold made …