Mesenchymal Stem Cell Spheroid for Cartilage Regeneration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cell preparations for treating cartilage tissue-related disorders lack high efficiency, with no effective spheroid-based solution known for cartilage tissue-related disorders.

Innovation Solution

A spheroid containing cultured mesenchymal stem cells obtained through adherent culture on a polyimide resin base without blood serum in the culture medium, promoting high expression of TGFβ1 gene for enhanced cartilage regeneration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If mesenchymal stem cells are cultured using conventional methods, then cell preparation can be obtained, but the efficiency for treating cartilage tissue-related disorders is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetreatment efficiencyVSAvoidcartilage regeneration capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies spheroidality by culturing mesenchymal stem cells to form three-dimensional spheroid structures instead of conventional two-dimensional monolayer cultures. This spherical configuration enhances cell-cell interactions and mimics in vivo tissue architecture, leading to improved cartilage regeneration capacity and treatment efficiency for cartilage tissue-related disorders

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes cultural parameters by using a serum-free medium with specific growth factors and cytokines, controlling oxygen tension, and optimizing culture duration. These parameter changes induce high expression of TGFβ1 gene and promote chondrogenic differentiation, thereby enhancing the therapeutic effect for cartilage regeneration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If spheroid culture is used for mesenchymal stem cells, then cartilage formation capacity is enhanced, but the method for effectively treating cartilage tissue-related disorders is not yet established

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecartilage formation capacityVSAvoidtreatment effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-differentiating mesenchymal stem cells into chondrocytes through spheroid culture in serum-free medium before transplantation. This preliminary chondrogenic differentiation ensures that the transplanted cells are already committed to the cartilage lineage, thereby reliably treating cartilage tissue-related disorders with enhanced cartilage formation capacity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent copies the in vivo cartilage formation process by mimicking the natural chondrogenic differentiation pathway through spheroid culture conditions. This includes recreating the three-dimensional matrix environment and growth factor signaling pathways that occur naturally during cartilage development, thereby ensuring treatment effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP3549590B1Spheroid including cultured mesenchymal stem cells for use in preventing or treating a cartilage tissue related disorder
Publication Date: 2022.11.30 NIPPON SHOKUBAI CO LTD
  • EP3549590B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~2
  • EP3549590B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3549590B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

To provide a spheroid-containing cell preparation exhibiting a high therapeutic effect for a cartilage tissue-related disorder as a treatment target. A prophylactic or therapeutic agent for a cartilage tissue-related disorder contains, as an effective ingredient, a spheroid including cultured mesenchymal stem cells.