ALB–PRF facilitates chondrogenesis by promoting chondrocytes migration, proliferation and differentiation

Cartilage injury is common in orthopedics and cartilage tissue engineering provides a therapeutic direction for cartilage regeneration. Albumin (ALB)–platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is speculated to be an ideal natural scaffold material for cartilage tissue engineering theoretically as a product derived from human venous blood. Through in vitro and in vivo experiments, it was demonstrated that ALB–PRF displayed porous structure and slowly released growth factors (TGF-β1, PDGF-AA, PDGF-AB, PDGF-BB, EGF, IGF-1 and VEGF), ALB–PRF conditioned media promoted proliferation, migration, adhesion, phenotype maintenance and extracellular matrix secretion of rabbit chondrocytes. Moreover, ALB–PRF facilitated chondrogenesis in vivo, the regenerative cartilage formed by ALB–PRF/chondrocytes was histologically similar to that of natural knee joint cartilage, the regenerative cartilage expressed cartilage differentiation marker (SOX9, ACAN and COL II), and proliferation marker PCNA and secreted abundant glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in extracellular matrix. In conclusion, ALB–PRF promoted the migration, proliferation and phenotype maintenance of chondrocytes in vitro. Its loose, porous structure and rich growth factors contained enhanced cell adhesion and growing into the materials. ALB–PRF facilitated chondrogenesis of chondrocytes in vivo. What is the context? Cartilage injury is a common problem in orthopedics and the self-healing ability of cartilage is limited.At present, the treatment methods for cartilage injury are limited, and surgical treatments also has defects. Cartilage tissue engineering brings hope for cartilage regeneration. At present, there are also certain disadvantages in the scaffold materials for cartilage tissue engineering and it is urgent to develop new scaffold materials.Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is a second-generation platelet concentrate produced from autologous blood which can form a fibrin network containing high concentrations of growth factors.The improved PRF, also known as ALB–PRF, has superior properties compared to PRF. Further research is needed to determine whether it can become an excellent scaffold material for cartilage tissue engineering. Cartilage injury is a common problem in orthopedics and the self-healing ability of cartilage is limited. At present, the treatment methods for cartilage injury are limited, and surgical treatments also has defects. Cartilage tissue engineering brings hope for cartilage regeneration. At present, there are also certain disadvantages in the scaffold materials for cartilage tissue engineering and it is urgent to develop new scaffold materials. Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is a second-generation platelet concentrate produced from autologous blood which can form a fibrin network containing high concentrations of growth factors. The improved PRF, also known as ALB–PRF, has superior properties compared to PRF. Further research is needed to determine whether it can become an excellent scaffold material for cartilage tissue engineering. What is new? ALB–PRF displayed porous structure and slow-released growth factors.ALB–PRF promoted proliferation, migration, adhesion, phenotype maintenance and extracellular matrix secretion of rabbit chondrocytes.ALB–PRF facilitated chondrogenesis in vivo, the regenerative cartilage formed by ALB–PRF/chondrocytes was similar to that of natural knee joint cartilage. ALB–PRF displayed porous structure and slow-released growth factors. ALB–PRF promoted proliferation, migration, adhesion, phenotype maintenance and extracellular matrix secretion of rabbit chondrocytes. ALB–PRF facilitated chondrogenesis in vivo, the regenerative cartilage formed by ALB–PRF/chondrocytes was similar to that of natural knee joint cartilage. What is the impact? ALB–PRF can be utilized as an excellent scaffold material for cartilage tissue engineering, but further research is needed to improve ALB–PRF and “seed cells.” ALB–PRF can be utilized as an excellent scaffold material for cartilage tissue engineering, but further research is needed to improve ALB–PRF and “seed cells.”