Knee meniscus regeneration using autogenous injection of uncultured adipose tissue-derived regenerative cells.

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

The low healing potential of mature menisci necessitates traditional surgical removal (meniscectomy) to eliminate acute or chronic degenerative tears. However, removal of meniscal tissue is main factor causing osteoarthritis. Adipose tissue-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs), a heterogeneous cell population that includes multipotent adipose-derived stem cells and other progenitor cells, were easily isolated in large amounts from autologous adipose tissue, and same-day processing without culture or expansion was possible. This study investigated the regenerative potential of autologous ADRCs for use in meniscus defects. In 10- to 12-week-old male SD rat partial meniscectomy model, an atelocollagen sponge scaffold without or with ADRCs (5.0 × 10 5 cells) was injected into each meniscus defect. Reconstructed menisci were subjected to histologic, and dynamic mechanical analyses. After 12 weeks, areas of regenerated meniscal tissue in the atelocollagen sponge scaffold in rats with ADRCs (64.54 ± 0.52%, P < 0.05, n = 10) were larger than in those without injection (57.96 ± 0.45%). ADRCs were shown capable of differentiating chondrocyte-like cells and meniscal tissue components such as type II collagen. Higher elastic moduli and lower fluid permeability of regenerated meniscal tissue demonstrated a favorable structure-function relationship required for native menisci, most likely in a

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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