Identifying and highlighting the impactful VTPP publications of each month. The goal is to capture these articles for annual VTPP research highlights. I hope the articles serve as an accessible archive and reference of our very best VTPP Science!
The January 2022 highlighted “VTPP Science in Action” article (link included above and below) comes from the work of Dr. Ling Yu and the lab of Dr. Ken Muneoka with VTPP trainees and colleagues, as well as faculty from VIBS. The manuscript outlines a series of elegant experiments that demonstrate for the first time Excerpted images from Figure 5 show the normal layered organization consisting of a middle layer and a deep layer of the articular cartilage in the mouse (A) with the box showing the injury site magnified in (D). 3 months following implantation of articular cartilage cells grown in the laboratory (using never before published methodologies to sustain the articular cells) reimplantation shows regeneration of the articular cartilage surface (E) with viable and integrated cells visible (F). Given the clinical significance of joint disabilities and the potential for cell-based regenerative strategies, the implantation of engineered cartilage demonstrating not only graft survival and stability but also tissue integration with host tissues as shown in this paper are extraordinary. Congratulations again to all the members of the research team for the highly impactful study. There is still much to be learned and done! The manuscript can be found at: https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.200249