Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: To address the need to both enrich stem cells and direct their osteogenic fate in bone tissue engineering and bone regeneration, we developed a stiffness-gradient hydrogel (~4.5-33 kPa) functionalized with a cell-enriching aptamer (Apt19s). This design forms a combined "enrich-and-differentiate" system: Apt19s actively enriches endogenous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) at the scaffold site, while the osteoinductive high-stiffness niche (~33 kPa) directs their differentiation. Crucially, the combined cues produced an enhanced osteogenic outcome-evidenced by significantly greater alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity (>2-fold increase), upregulated RUNX2/osteocalcin (OCN) gene expression (186.5% relative to control), and enhanced mineralization-that surpassed the additive effects of either cue presented independently. This integrated platform provides a practical strategy for developing cell-free osteogenic materials that actively tackle the dual challenges of endogenous cell sourcing and lineage-specific induction.
Source: PLoS ONE
Authors: Jifeng Jing, Fengyu Li, Yu Wang, Shuo Cheng, Lei Guo
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,382
OpenAlex ID: W7169223574