Identification of the optimal biologic to enhance endogenous stem cell recruitment
The goal of this project is to identify the optimal biologic to recruit mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to the site of an injury. A direct comparison between different biologics with putative chemoattractant properties will provide a quantification of the number of cells and the distance that they migrate towards each biologic. Biologics that are commonly used to enhance musculoskeletal regeneration such as leukocyte-poor platelet rich plasma (PRP), leukocyte-rich PRP, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein (IRAP), bone marrow aspirate, and bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) will be used in a microfluidics device designed to measure cell migration. BMAC commonly recruited the greatest number of cells; however, these results were not uniformly replicable. A new approach utilizing a U-slide chemotaxis device is now being used to obtain more consistent results. Identification of the biologic product that recruits stem cells best can lead to direct clinic application of said biologic for immediate use in lesions to recruitment endogenous stem cells for increased healing.