Human marrow mesenchymal stem cells were cultured in a medium containing glycerophosphate, ascorbic acid, and dexamethasone (Dex) on alumina ceramic discs and on tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) dishes. Cell proliferation followed by osteogenic differentiation was observed to be equal on both culture substrata. The differentiation resulted in the appearance of bone-forming osteoblasts, which fabricated mineralized matrices on these substrata. Stem cells kept at 4degrees Cfor 24 h outside a CO2 incubator maintained a viability level of more than 90%. The regenerative cultured bone outside the incubator also maintained high alkaline phosphatase activity for several hours. These results verified that cultured bone fabricated at a cell processing center can be transported to distant hospitals for use in hard tissue repair. To date, the tissue engineered cultured bone formed on alumina ceramics in this environment have already been used in clinical situations, such as total ceramic ankle replacements.
Adult ; Aged ; Aluminum Oxide ; Bone Marrow Cells/*cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Division ; Ceramics ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/*cytology ; Middle Aged ; *Osteogenesis ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; *Tissue Engineering

BACKGROUND: Age-related musculoskeletal diseases are becoming increasingly burdensome in terms of both individual quality of life and medical cost. We intended to establish a large population-based cohort study to determine environmental, lifestyle, and genetic risk factors of musculoskeletal and other age-related diseases, and to clarify the association between vitamin D status and such diseases. METHODS: We targeted 34,802 residents aged 40-74 years living in areas of northern Niigata Prefecture, including Sekikawa Village, Awashimaura Village, and Murakami City (Murakami region). The baseline questionnaire survey, conducted between 2011 and 2013, queried respondents on their lifestyle and environmental factors (predictors), and self-reported outcomes. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentration, an indicator of vitamin D status, was determined with the Liaison® 25OH Vitamin D Total Assay. The primary outcome of this study was osteoporotic fracture; other outcomes included age-related diseases including knee osteoarthritis, perception of chronic pain, dementia, and long-term care insurance use. Mean ages of men and women were 59.2 (SD = 9.3, N = 6907) and 59.0 (SD = 9.3, N = 7457) years, respectively. From the blood samples provided by 3710 men and 4787 women, mean 25(OH)D concentrations were 56.5 (SD = 18.4) nmol/L (22.6 ng/mL) and 45.4 (SD = 16.5) nmol/L (18.2 ng/mL), respectively. DISCUSSION Follow-up surveys are planned every 5 years for 15 years, and incident cases of our targeted diseases will be followed at hospitals and clinics in and nearby the cohort area. We anticipate that we will be able to clarify the association between vitamin D status and multiple disease outcomes in a Japanese population.
Aged ; Aging ; Cohort Studies ; Epidemiologic Research Design ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Japan ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Musculoskeletal Diseases ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Quality of Life ; Risk Factors ; Vitamin D ; analogs & derivatives ; blood