Connective Tissue Research最新文献

{"title":"Spatial transcriptomic applications in orthopedics.","authors":"Thomas L Jenkins, Jasper H N Yik, Dominik R Haudenschild","doi":"10.1080/03008207.2025.2501703","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03008207.2025.2501703","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This review highlights the transformative impact of spatial transcriptomics on orthopedic research, focusing on its application in deciphering intricate gene expression patterns within musculoskeletal tissues.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The paper reviews literature for spatial transcriptomic methods, specifically 10X Visium, 10X Xenium, seqFISH+, MERFISH, NanoString GeoMx DSP, used on musculoskeletal tissues (cartilage, joints, bone, tendon, ligament, and synovium).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Searches identified 29 published manuscripts reporting spatial transcriptomic data in cartilage, bone, tendon, synovium, and intervertebral disc. Most publications of spatial transcriptomic data are from tendon and synovium. 10X Visium has been used in 22 of the 29 papers identified. Spatial transcriptomics has been used to identify novel cell populations and cell signaling pathways that regulate development and disease.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Imaging-based spatial transcriptomic methods may be better for hypothesis testing as they generally have subcellular resolution but sequence fewer genes. Sequencing methods may be better for untargeted, shotgun approaches that can generate useful hypotheses from the spatial data from unimpaired tissue sections. Spatial transcriptomic methods could become useful for clinical diagnostics and precision medicine approaches.</p>","PeriodicalId":10661,"journal":{"name":"Connective Tissue Research","volume":" ","pages":"227-238"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12328079/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143968837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"PELI1 silencing delays intervertebral disc degeneration by impeding nucleus pulposus cell death.","authors":"Xiaodong Wei, Chao Yu, Jingjie Wang","doi":"10.1080/03008207.2025.2508841","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03008207.2025.2508841","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a spinal condition that causes low back pain. Pellino E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1 (PELI1) expression reportedly correlates with inflammation and cell death. This study aimed to determine its potential role in IDD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Cell counting kit-8 assay, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine staining, senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining, morphological observation, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay, quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, and western blotting were used to examine the effect of PELI1 on tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-induced human primary nucleus pulposus cells (hNPCs).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>PELI1 was highly expressed in TNF-α-treated hNPCs. TNF-α treatment notably reduced hNPCs viability and proliferation, but enhanced senescence (elevated p16 and p21 expression), extracellular matrix degeneration (reduced collagen II and aggrecan expression and upregulated matrix metallopeptidase-13 and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motifs-5 expression), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome formation (enhanced NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC), and cleaved caspase 1 expression), pyroptosis (elevated cleaved gasdermin D expression), LDH release, and inflammatory cytokine release (high mobility group box 1, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-18). These effects were distinctly reduced by PELI1 silencing but enhanced by its overexpression. Interestingly, the effects triggered by PELI1 silencing were partially reversed by ASC overexpression.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>PELI1 May promote IDD progression by expediting nucleus pulposus cell death and participates in the inflammatory response regulated by the NLRP3 inflammasome in nucleus pulposus cells. These suggest PELI1 as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of IDD.</p>","PeriodicalId":10661,"journal":{"name":"Connective Tissue Research","volume":" ","pages":"298-310"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144126839","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fatigue loading and volumetric microscopy demonstrate changes to the mouse cervix throughout and after pregnancy.","authors":"Jeremy D Eekhoff, Jaime A Santillan, Chet S Friday, Carrie E Barnum, Stephanie N Weiss, Snehal Shetye, Lauren Anton, Michal A Elovitz, Louis J Soslowsky","doi":"10.1080/03008207.2025.2499173","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03008207.2025.2499173","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The cervix plays important mechanical roles in pregnancy and regulating the timing of parturition. Dysfunction of the cervix is implicated in disorders of parturition including spontaneous preterm birth, failed induction of labor and post term pregnancies. To address these disorders, it is imperative to first understand the function of the cervix throughout a normal pregnancy. However, current knowledge on the response of the cervix to mechanical fatigue and the underlying microstructural changes throughout a pregnancy is lacking.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study, mechanical fatigue properties were measured at different stages of pregnancy using uniaxial fatigue testing that simulated circumferential hoop stresses in the cervix. Collagen microstructure was quantified using second harmonic generation imaging and three-dimensional orientation analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The stiffness and modulus of the cervix during fatigue testing were dramatically reduced in all stages of pregnancy, and pregnant samples experienced greater peak strain before failure. All mechanical properties recovered postpartum despite persistent changes in cervix size. Microstructural analysis demonstrated increased local collagen alignment in postpartum samples, which may indicate a mechanism that serves to improve material properties after childbirth.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Altogether, conclusions from this study enhance our understanding of how properties of the cervix change with pregnancy and lay the foundation for future work investigating how alterations from this healthy function can lead to spontaneous preterm birth and other reproductive complications.</p>","PeriodicalId":10661,"journal":{"name":"Connective Tissue Research","volume":" ","pages":"263-271"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12328080/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143978921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temsirolimus, a water-soluble mTOR inhibitor, alleviates osteoarthritic changes in human chondrocytes and mouse osteoarthritis models.","authors":"Yuhei Otsuki, Takehiko Matsushita, Akiyoshi Mori, Nobuaki Miyaji, Tetsuya Yamamoto, Kiminari Kataoka, Shohei Sano, Naosuke Nagata, Kyohei Nishida, Kanto Nagai, Noriyuki Kanzaki, Yuichi Hoshino, Tomoyuki Matsumoto, Ryosuke Kuroda","doi":"10.1080/03008207.2025.2521404","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03008207.2025.2521404","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose/aim: </strong>Temsirolimus is a water-soluble mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex inhibitor, potentially suitable for intra-articular administration. The present study aims to evaluate the therapeutic effects of intra-articular administration of temsirolimus on human chondrocytes and osteoarthritis (OA) progression in mice.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The beneficial effects of temsirolimus treatment were evaluated in human chondrocytes (Normal Human Articular Chondrocyte-Knee cells) with or without treatment with IL-1β <i>in vitro</i> by real-time polymerase chain reaction, TUNEL staining for apoptosis, and CYTO-ID(R) staining for autophagy. The therapeutic effect of intra-articular injection of temsirolimus was evaluated in OA models (destabilized medial meniscus in C57BL/6J and senescence accelerated mice prone 8 (SAMP8)) <i>in vivo</i>, by histological and immunohistochemical analyses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Temsirolimus treatment upregulated COL2A1 and aggrecan (a major proteoglycan in the articular cartilage) expression in human chondrocytes. In addition, temsirolimus treatment recovered IL-1β-induced down-reregulated COL2A1 and aggrecan expression, while it partially decreased upregulated MMP-1, MMP-13, ADAMTS-4, ADAMTS-5, IL-1β, and IL-6 expression and apoptosis in human chondrocytes. Further, temsirolimus treatment enhanced autophagic activity in human chondrocytes. The intra-articular injection of temsirolimus to 12-week and 1-year old wild-type surgically induced OA model mice and SAMP8 mice delayed OA progression as compared to that in the control mice.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Temsirolimus treatment protected human chondrocytes from IL-1β-induced OA gene expression changes and apoptosis. Intra-articular injection of temsirolimus delayed OA progression in the mouse OA model and in SAMP8 mice. Thus, the intra-articular administration of temsirolimus is a promising therapeutic approach to inhibit articular cartilage degradation.</p>","PeriodicalId":10661,"journal":{"name":"Connective Tissue Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144526672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A gene expression and a histostructural analysis of the palmar fascia of patients affected by Dupuytren's disease.","authors":"Adolfo Galán Novella, Olimpia Ortiz-Arrabal, David Sánchez-Porras, Fabiola Bermejo-Casares, Enrique Guerado, Miguel Alaminos","doi":"10.1080/03008207.2025.2522860","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03008207.2025.2522860","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Dupuytren's disease (DD) is a condition affecting the palmar fascia that may reduce the mobility of several fingers. Despite its clinical relevance, the genetic and structural mechanisms associated with this disease are still not well understood. In this work, we have carried out a genome-wide gene expression analysis to identify relevant genes associated with DD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A genome-wide gene expression analysis was carried out using next generation sequencing (NGS) followed by a histological, histochemical and immunohistochemical analysis of some major components of the palmar fascia in 26 DD patients and 17 control subjects without the disease (CTR).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We found 237 genes or sequences differentially expressed between DD and CTR, with those genes corresponding to several gene pathways and functions related to contractility, development and morphogenesis, differentiation, extracellular matrix (ECM), migration and ossification. In turn, the histological analysis confirmed that DD tissues showed a disorganized ECM, with nonaligned fibers, and abundant cells were found scattered along the whole tissue. CTR showed significantly higher amounts of proteoglycans revealed by alcian blue, along with versican, keratan-sulfate, myoglobin, tropomyosin 3, filamin C and titin, whereas DD showed significantly enriched in collagen fibers, especially collagens type-I and V, MMP-14, S-100, tubulin-beta, SMA and tenascin C, with disorganization of the elastic fibers.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In general, these results confirm that a significant alteration of the tissue organization, extracellular matrix and structure is related to DD. These results could contribute to the future development of diagnostic and treatment strategies for this disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":10661,"journal":{"name":"Connective Tissue Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144526670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of dental pulp-derived mesenchymal stem cell exosomes produced under hypoxia conditions on osteoarthritic chondrocytes.","authors":"Habip Karaturk, Zeynep Burcin Gonen, Recep Saraymen, Nur Seda Gokdemir, Hasan Salkin","doi":"10.1080/03008207.2025.2519064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03008207.2025.2519064","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Osteoarthritis is a common cause of disability worldwide. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles and can exert paracrine and endocrine actions. DPSCs exosomes offer a new avenue of research that may elucidate various functions related to cell proliferation, differentiation, and immunomodulation. We hypothesized that DPSC exosomes produced under hypoxia-induced culture conditions may have an anti-inflammatory effect on osteoarthritic chondrocytes and may re-regulate the inflammatory response that is increased in osteoarthritis. We also hypothesized that the decreased glycosaminoglycan production in osteoarthritis may be re-induced by DPSC exosomes produced under hypoxia.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Exosomes were isolated from DPSCs under hypoxic (3% O₂) and normoxic conditions (21% O₂) separately and were applied to OA chondrocyte cells. Quantification, morphology and analysis of tetraspanin markers were performed to characterize the exosomes. After the OA chondrocytes were treated with exosomes for 48 hours, they were prepared for cell proliferation, apoptosis, viability, glycosaminoglycan tests, and inflammatory cytokine analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our results show that the pro-inflammatory cytokines were significantly suppressed in osteoarthritic chondrocytes by DPSC exosomes produced under hypoxia (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Exosomes of DPSCs grown in a hypoxia environment dramatically increase the amount of GAG in OA chondrocytes, giving clues that they can be used in cartilage regeneration (<i>p</i> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Considering that OA is associated with inflammatory components, DPSC exosome produced under hypoxic conditions prevents the formation of proinflammatory cytokines in osteoarthritic chondrocytes and shows therapeutic effects on osteoarthritic chondrocytes. Our study provides the first evidence showing the efficacy of DPSC-derived exosomes produced under hypoxia on osteoarthritic chondrocytes.</p>","PeriodicalId":10661,"journal":{"name":"Connective Tissue Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144474171","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Role of the hedgehog pathway in the formation, maintenance, and degeneration of intervertebral disc.","authors":"Huan-Xin He, Zhi-Rui Dong, Wang Jing, Yu-Kai Huang, Zhi-Yang Gao, Guang-Cheng Yuan, Li-Bo Jiang, Ming-Dong Zhao","doi":"10.1080/03008207.2025.2511821","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03008207.2025.2511821","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Low back pain (LBP), one of the most common health problems, is the leading cause of disability globally. Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) accounts for most LBP. However, the molecular mechanism underlying IDD remains unclear, and the existing treatment strategy for IDD is still limited. A growing body of evidences suggest that the Hedgehog (HH) pathway plays an essential role in the formation, maintenance, and degeneration of intervertebral discs (IVDs), with Sonic HH (SHH) being primarily involved in the development and maturation of the IVDs and a strong link between Indian HH(IHH) and disc calcification. This review provides an overview of the role of the HH signaling pathway in the developmental maturation and degeneration of IVDs and suggests potential therapeutic targets for IDD that may interfere with HH signaling.</p>","PeriodicalId":10661,"journal":{"name":"Connective Tissue Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144257493","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Peripheral nerve repair using olfactory ensheathing and stem cells within a vein graft.","authors":"Brent A McMonagle","doi":"10.1080/03008207.2025.2466693","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03008207.2025.2466693","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The aim of this study was to assess nerve regeneration in vein grafts filled with olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) or olfactory stem cells (ONSs) in a 15 mm gap male DA rat sciatic nerve model versus autografts.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The control group (NG) received a nerve graft reversed and sutured into the 15 mm gap; all of the animals in the five experimental groups received a vein graft to bridge the 15 mm gap filled with extracellular matrix (ECM- MatrigelTM) only (VG); ECM with rat OECs suspended in ECM (VG + rOECs); ECM with human OECs (with Cyclosporin postoperatively to prevent graft rejection) (VG + hONS (c)); ECM only (with Cyclosporin postoperatively as a control for the previous group) (VG (c)); and ECM with rat ONSs within the vein grafts (VG + rONS). After 12 weeks ±4 days, electrophysiological analysis (latency and amplitude) and histological assessment of axon counts (immunohistochemistry with neurofilament [NF] stain) were undertaken.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Group VG + rOECs had the lowest latency results, NG had the highest amplitude results, and groups NG and VG + rOECs had significantly higher axon counts.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results trended toward the VG + rOECs and NG groups having the most successful electrophysiology results and axon counts. Incorporating OECs into vein grafts may be a viable alternative to nerve grafts for peripheral nerve repair.</p>","PeriodicalId":10661,"journal":{"name":"Connective Tissue Research","volume":" ","pages":"149-160"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143794952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"LncRNA SNHG7 inhibits apoptosis and proliferation of osteoarthritis cells induced by IL-β through sponging miR-146b.","authors":"Naikai Lin, Zehui Song, Bitao Ma, Peng Wang","doi":"10.1080/03008207.2025.2487470","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03008207.2025.2487470","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>We probed the roles of SNHG7, miR-146b, PCBP1, and IL-β in the development of osteoarthritis (OA).</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>OA models were established using anterior cruciate ligaments, and chondrocytes were obtained from mouse cartilage tissue. Cells were treated with 10 ng/ml Il-1β. RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of SNHG7, miR-146b, PCBP1, and IL-β in tissues and cells. Safranin-O/Fast Green staining was performed to analyze the cartilage damage in each group of mice.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>SNHG7 and PCBP1 expressions were down-regulated, and miR-146b expression was up-regulated in OA tissue and IL-1β-treated chondrocytes compared to normal cartilage tissue and chondrocytes. Forced SNHG7 expression improved cartilage structure, enhanced proliferative viability of chondrocytes, and inhibited apoptosis and IL-1β release in IL-1β-treated chondrocytes in OA mice. In contrast, miR-146b upregulation decreased proliferative viability and promoted apoptosis and IL-1β release in chondrocytes. Rescue assays showed that miR-146b attenuated the protective effects of SNHG7 on apoptosis and inflammation in IL-1β-treated chondrocytes, and activation of PCBP1 expression significantly inhibited the cytotoxic effects of miR-146b. Mechanistically, SNHG7 acted as a competitive endogenous RNA by targeting miR-146b to promote the expression of PCBP1.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study confirms that SNHG7 inhibits IL-1β-mediated inflammatory responses in chondrocytes via the miR-146b/PCBP1 axis, thereby suppressing IL-1β-induced OA.</p>","PeriodicalId":10661,"journal":{"name":"Connective Tissue Research","volume":" ","pages":"190-203"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143957784","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative characterization of hydrogels from human amniotic membrane and umbilical cord: biological and physicochemical properties.","authors":"Keykavos Gholami, Roham Deyhimfar, Ehsan Arefian, Matin Sadat Saneei Mousavi, Zahra Fekrirad, Parsa Nikoufar, Seyed Mohammad Kazem Aghamir","doi":"10.1080/03008207.2025.2483246","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03008207.2025.2483246","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Various forms of decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM), including patches, powders, and hydrogels, have been applied to tissue engineering. Due to a broad need for alternatives to dECM, mostly derived from animal sources, human amniotic membrane (AM) and umbilical cord (UC) as disposable birthing materials can be suitable candidates. The present study developed hydrogels from AM and UC hydrogels and compared their physicochemical and biological properties.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The decellularized and powdered AM and UC tissues were solubilized with pepsin to form pre-gel solutions. The developed hydrogels underwent biological and physicochemical assessments using techniques such as western blot, scanning electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and histopathology.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>UC hydrogel demonstrated a higher elastic modulus and shorter gelation time. Although the western blot results did not show significant differences in concentration of the main ECM components, specific staining showed a higher content of mucopolysaccharides in UC hydrogel as well as collagen fibers in AM hydrogel. Both hydrogels induced a fibroblast-like morphology in the cytoplasm of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). Both hydrogels are suitable for 3D culture systems and support in vivo myogenic differentiation of MSCs. Finally, the hydrogels were found to be biocompatible in vivo and showed infiltration and colonization by host cells in mice.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study highlights significant bio-physicochemical variations between human UC and AM hydrogels, emphasizing the need for careful consideration in their application for tissue reconstruction, in vitro culture systems, and cell-delivery techniques.</p>","PeriodicalId":10661,"journal":{"name":"Connective Tissue Research","volume":" ","pages":"175-189"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143729188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}