Mechanical Unloading of Engineered Human Meniscus Models Under Simulated Microgravity

The aim of this study is to demonstrate that mechanical unloading via SMG will induce a higher osteoarthritic-like gene profile in bioengineered meniscal cartilage from healthy female MFC versus healthy male MFC. This would serve as the molecular basis for early onset of knee osteoarthritis in females Meniscus models were generated from healthy human meniscus fibrochondrocytes (MFC) of 6 males and 6 females seeded onto a type I collagen scaffold and cultured under simulated microgravity (SMG) conditions in rotatory wall vessel bioreactor with static normal gravity as controls. The response to SMG was evaluated by biochemical assays, gene expression, and mechanical testing