The Periosteum as a Cellular Source for Functional Tissue Engineering

Abstract

The periosteum, a specialized fibrous tissue composed of fibroblast, osteoblast, and progenitor cells, may be an optimal cell source for tissue engineering based on its accessibility, the ability of periosteal cells to proliferate rapidly both in vivo and in vitro, and the observed differentiation potential of these cells. However, the functional use of periosteum-derived cells as a source for tissue engineering requires an understanding of the ability of such cells to elaborate matrix of different tissues. In this study, we subjected a population of adherent primary periosteum-derived cells to both adipogenic and osteogenic culture conditions. The commitment propensity of periosteal cells was contrasted with that of well-characterized phenotypically pure populations of NIH3T3 fibroblast and MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cell lines. Our results demonstrate that the heterogeneous populations of periosteal cells and NIH3T3 fibroblasts have the ability to express both osteoblast-like and adipocyte-like markers with similar potential. This raises the question of whether fibroblasts within the periosteum may, in fact, have the potential to behave like progenitor cells and play a role in the tissue's multilineage potential or whether there are true stem cells within the periosteum. Further, this study suggests that expanded periosteal cultures may be a source for tissue engineering applications without extensive enrichment or sorting by molecular markers. Thus, this study lays the groundwork for future investigations that will more deeply enumerate the cellular sources and molecular events governing periosteal cell differentiation.

Elucidating Multiscale Periosteal Mechanobiology: A Key to Unlocking the Smart Properties and Regenerative Capacity of the Periosteum?

“…Characterization of the the periosteum's material and mechanical properties will allow for a better understanding of the periosteum's role as the barrier membrane, 38,[51][52][53] PDCs are commonly used for bone and cartilage tissue engineering applications due to their ability to differentiate into tissues of mesodermal origin, specifically bone and cartilage. [16][17][18][19][54][55][56] Current methods for isolating PDCs from periosteum include enzymatic digestion or explant culture. 38 The choice of isolation protocol has not only practical, but also potentially important mechano-chemo-biological consequences; digestion liberates cells from the entire periosteum and exposes cells to collagenase (with unknown downstream effects) and explant culture favors the isolation of motile cells, which are capable of egressing from the cambium layer.…”

Regenerative Dentistry: Animal Model for Regenerative Endodontology

“…Cells residing in the periosteum appear to be the source for this approach. These cells have been studied extensively, and their regenerative potential is used in multiple applications [24]. Periosteum-derived progenitor cells feature multi-differentiation potency and the ability to proliferate rapidly.…”

Bioreactor Design for Tendon/Ligament Engineering

“…15 Stem cells, dermal fibroblasts, and tenocytes have all been tested as potential cell sources for tendon repair. In the past decade, promising results have been achieved using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in tendon/ligament engineering.…”