Objective To observe whether the full-thickness defects of articular cartilage at the knee joint of rabbits could be repaired by implantation of polyglycolic-acid(PGA) composites adhered with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). Methods Culture-expanded rabbits’BMSCs were seeded onto porous PGA scaffolds. After a 72-hour co-culturing, the cell-adhered PGA was implanted into the articular cartilage defect at the intercondylar fossa of the femur. The rabbits were sacrificed 12 weeks later after the operation and the specimens were examined histologically for morphologic features, and stained immunohistochemically for type Ⅱcollagen. Results The specimens harvested from BMSCs-PGA composite demonstrated a hyaline cartilage formation. No obvious progressive degeneration sign was found in the newly formed tissue. The control groups showed no hyaline-like cartilage formation. Conclusion PGA composites adhered with in vitro culture-expanded autologous BMSCs can facilitate formation of hyaline-like cartilage in rabbits.

Objective To investigate the effect of percutaneous vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty (PKP) on bone density and serum leptin in patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures. Methods One hundred and two patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures and 100 cases of healthy control were treated with PKP surgery. The serum leptin and adiponectin, and the bone mineral density of the lumbar spine were determined. Results patients Levels of the serum leptin and adiponectin in patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral compression fracture were significantly higher than those with non osteoporotic fracture patients (P < 0.05). One month post-PVP, the levels of serum leptin and adiponectin in the two groups were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). postoperative group of The lumbar bone density at 1 month post-operation was is significantly higher than that before operation in each group (P < 0.05, respectively), with no significant difference between the two groups. The levels of serum leptin and adiponectin were negatively correlated with the bone mineral density (BMD) (P < 0.05). Conclusions tLevels of serum adiponectin and leptin were both increased in osteoporotic or non bone osteoporosis thoracolumbar vertebral compressor fractures. The percutaneous vertebroplasty forming operation could effectively reduce the serum level of leptin and adiponectin, and improve the bone mineral density of the lumbar vertebrae.