Chen C.-YLi CKe C.-JSun J.-SLin F.-H.Lin, Feng-HueiFeng-HueiLin2021-08-052021-08-0520212218273Xhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85100156450&doi=10.3390%2fbiom11010115&partnerID=40&md5=aec0afbf69b44bd3e3ca217845aa0439https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/577131Human cartilage has relatively slow metabolism compared to other normal tissues. Cartilage damage is of great clinical consequence since cartilage has limited intrinsic healing potential. Cartilage tissue engineering is a rapidly emerging field that holds great promise for tissue function repair and artificial/engineered tissue substitutes. However, current clinical therapies for cartilage repair are less than satisfactory and rarely recover full function or return the diseased tissue to its native healthy state. Kartogenin (KGN), a small molecule, can promote chondrocyte differentiation both in vitro and in vivo. The purpose of this research is to optimize the chondrogenic process in mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based chondrogenic constructs with KGN for potential use in cartilage tissue engineering. In this study, we demonstrate that KGN treatment can promote MSC condensation and cell cluster formation within a tri-copolymer scaffold. Expression of Acan, Sox9, and Col2a1 was significantly up-regulated in three-dimensional (3D) culture conditions. The lacuna-like structure showed active deposition of type II collagen and aggrecan deposition. We expect these results will open new avenues for the use of small molecules in chondrogenic differentiation protocols in combination with scaffolds, which may yield better strategies for cartilage tissue engineering. ? 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.aggrecan; angiogenic factor; ascorbic acid 2 phosphate; beta1 integrin; bovine serum albumin; chondroitin; collagen type 1; collagen type 10; copolymer; dexamethasone; eosin; gelatin; hematoxylin; Hermes antigen; hyaluronic acid; indometacin; kartogenin; linoleic acid; proline; pyruvate sodium; receptor type tyrosine protein phosphatase C; Thy 1 membrane glycoprotein; transcription factor RUNX2; transcription factor Sox9; transforming growth factor beta1; transforming growth factor beta2; trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid; unclassified drug; adipogenesis; animal cell; animal experiment; animal model; animal tissue; Article; cartilage; cell differentiation; cell proliferation; cell viability; chondrocyte; chondrogenesis; controlled study; cross linking; down regulation; flow cytometry; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; freeze drying; gene expression; immunohistochemistry; male; mesenchymal stem cell; mRNA expression level; nonhuman; osteoblast; protein expression; rat; real time polymerase chain reaction; scanning electron microscopy; suffocation; tissue engineering; ultraviolet visible spectroscopy; upregulation[SDGs]SDG3[SDGs]SDG6aggrecan; angiogenic factor; ascorbic acid 2 phosphate; beta1 integrin; bovine serum albumin; chondroitin; collagen type 1; collagen type 10; copolymer; dexamethasone; eosin; gelatin; hematoxylin; Hermes antigen; hyaluronic acid; indometacin; kartogenin; linoleic acid; proline; pyruvate sodium; receptor type tyrosine protein phosphatase C; Thy 1 membrane glycoprotein; transcription factor RUNX2; transcription factor Sox9; transforming growth factor beta1; transforming growth factor beta2; trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid; unclassified drug; anilide; kartogenin; messenger RNA; phthalic acid derivative; polymer; proteoglycan; transforming growth factor beta1; adipogenesis; animal cell; animal experiment; animal model; animal tissue; Article; cartilage; cell differentiation; cell proliferation; cell viability; chondrocyte; chondrogenesis; controlled study; cross linking; down regulation; flow cytometry; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; freeze drying; gene expression; immunohistochemistry; male; mesenchymal stem cell; mRNA expression level; nonhuman; osteoblast; protein expression; rat; real time polymerase chain reaction; scanning electron microscopy; suffocation; tissue engineering; ultraviolet visible spectroscopy; upregulation; animal; biological model; bioreactor; cartilage; cell culture; cell differentiation; cell separation; cell survival; chemistry; chondrogenesis; cytology; drug effect; gene expression regulation; genetics; mesenchymal stem cell; metabolism; perfusion; staining; tissue scaffold; ultrastructure; Wistar rat; Anilides; Animals; Bioreactors; Cartilage; Cell Differentiation; Cell Separation; Cell Survival; Cells, Cultured; Chondrogenesis; Gene Expression Regulation; Male; Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Models, Biological; Perfusion; Phthalic Acids; Polymers; Proteoglycans; Rats, Wistar; RNA, Messenger; Staining and Labeling; Tissue Scaffolds; Transforming Growth Factor beta1journal article10.3390/biom11010115334671702-s2.0-85100156450