Context of Use or Disease: Osteochondral development

DOI: Journal of Tissue Engineering 2025

Platform: Emulate - Chip-S1

Description: Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) was immobilised within gelatin methacrylate hydrogels and spatially patterned within the top channel of the Emulate Chip-S1, creating regions with or without BMP2, and a graded interface in between. These hydrogels are then seeded with human bone marrow derived mesenchymal cells (hBM-MSCs), and the presence or absence of BMP2 drives the spatially divergent differentiation of the hBM-MSCs into bone-like and cartilage-like regions. 

Fig. 1. Spatial distribution of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labelled BMP-2 (green) in the Chip-S1 (left) and corresponding fluorescence profile (right). Dotted lines indicate the graded interface between the +BMP2 and -BMP2 regions.

Characterisation & Validation: The model replicates the development of the osteochondral interface over 21 days, mimicking the process of endochondral ossification. Cell phenotypes have been characterised by qRT-PCR, highlighting a divergence in the expression of osteogenic and chondrogenic markers in the +BMP2 region and the -BMP2 regions, respectively. The in situ engineered tissue resembles mature osteochondral tissue after 28 days, validated by the comparison of gene expression to mature human bone and cartilage. 

Ongoing Research: Adaptation to open-well and high-throughput organ-chip platforms, investigation of alternative hydrogels, study of mechanisms underpinning short stature disorders such as achondroplasia

Research Team: Timothy Hopkins, Aman Nikhil, Martin Knight

Lead Contact: Timothy Hopkins

Back to Models Directory