Kompendium 2020 Forschung & Klinik

TOP-Studien
48
Figure 2. Histological sections of regenerated
articular cartilage in the MACT group stained with
safranin O at the 12-month follow-up. Shown is
the center of the regenerated area at 2 magnifications.
Blood vessels crossing the tidemark
are marked with arrows, and the chondrocyte
arrangement in the deep zone of cartilage is
presented at a higher magnification. Scale bar:
200 µm (100x), 50 µm (400x).
rial revealed only a slight reduction in staining in MACT and SPONGIO groups
compared to healthy cartilage tissue. In contrast, the MATRIX group showed
strongly reduced staining. The tidemark was broken by blood vessels in all regeneration
groups. Chondrocytes arranged in columns in the central defect area
of the MACT group, suggesting the formation of hyaline cartilage (Figure 2).
In summary, the analysis of the histological evaluation of the 12-month
results showed significant superiority of the MACT and SPONGIO groups
compared to the MATRIX group.
Conclusion
Early OA was treated successfully in a large animal model, with the MACT group
showing the best regeneration after 4 months, persisting until 12 months with
even further improvement during this time. The good results of the SPONGIO
group can be attributed to the use of fibrin glue which was used to stop the
bleeding and standardize the model, and which might have also acted as a
matrix for cells. The poor results of the MATRIX group could be explained by the
sealing of the cancellous bone with flat fibrin glue preventing the migration of
stem cells from the bone into the matrix, suggesting implications for clinical
application in terms of matrix fixation. Further studies are needed to assess
whether these results can be directly transferred to the human knee joint.
Assoz. Prof. Priv.-Doz. Mag. Dr. Stefan Toegel
References:
Author:
Stefan Toegel is head of the
„Karl Chiari Lab for Orthopaedic
Biology“. In 2015, he became an
Associate Professor at the Medical
University of Vienna and
obtained his habilitation in Cell
Biology in 2018. The main focus
of his research is on the pathomechanisms
of osteoarthritis.
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