COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF COLLAGEN TYPE I AND II SYNTHESIS IN CHONDROCYTES DERIVED ADIPOSE DERIVED STEM CELLS VERSUS NATURAL ARTICULAR CHONDROCYTES

Objective: Due to the limitations of using chondrocytes in cell-based repair of cartilage damages, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have been considered as an attractive cell source for this purpose. But it has not been clarified if chondrocytes and ADSCs differentiate into the same cartilage phenotype. Materials and Methods: In this study, ADSCs and human articular chondrocytes were allowed to differentiate in pellet culture for 14 days and were compared their chondrogenic potential. Matrix production was assayed using immunohistochemistry for collagen type Ι, ΙΙ. Results: Our results showed significantly increase of collagen type Ι and significantly decrease of collagen type ΙΙ in differentiated ADSCs compared to chondrocytes. Histological staining with tuluiden blue showed that both ADSCs and chondrocytes produced glycosaminoglycan. Conclusion: It could be concluded, although less collagen type II and more collagen type Ι was expressed in ADSCs but, Low production of collagen type II by these cells can also be compensated with optimum conditions like as monolayer culture of these cells.