Chondrogenic and Osteogenic Induction from iPS Cells.

Articular cartilage (AC) does not heal spontaneously when injured in adults. This incapacity for self-repair after damage ultimately leads to the development of osteoarthritis. In contrast, bone repairs itself without scarring. However, complete bone healing fails to occur in large defects coming from major trauma or malignant tumor resection. Cell therapy has been investigated for these musculoskeletal conditions. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) possess the characteristics of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) in potentially unlimited proliferation while avoiding the ethical controversies. However, several issues need to be resolved before iPSCs can be considered as a potential therapeutic measure for cartilage and bone regeneration. The authors developed protocol to examine the in vitro chondrogenesis and osteogenesis from hiPSCs and in vivo cartilage and bone regeneration using animal models.