CELLULAR SENESCENCE IMPAIRS CHONDROGENIC DIFFERENTIATION OF MESENCHYMAL STEM/STROMAL CELLS BY INHIBITING THE TRASFORMING GROWTH FACTOR-BETA SIGNALING

Purpose: Mesenchymal stem/stomal cells (MSCs) are often studied for their possible tissue Regenerative medicine. During in vitro expansion, however, MSCs may enter a state of permanent growth arrest - while remaining metabolically active - known as cellular senescence. Senescence can negatively affect tissue homeostasis and an increased amount of senescence cells can be found in pathological tissues, such as osteoarthritic cartilage. Although, it has been shown that cellular senescence may alters the differentiation capacity of MSCs towards the osteogenic and the adipogenic lineages, very little is known on how cellular senescence affect the chondrogenesis.