Figure 3

Schematic showing the experimental model and groups used in these experiments. (a) For the meniscus injury model, 8 mm diameter explants were isolated from porcine meniscus tissue. A 3 mm biopsy was removed from the center of the explant. (b) For meniscus tissue controls, the 3 mm inner core of meniscus tissue was reinserted into the meniscus explant (Meniscus). (c) For experiments with unseeded scaffolds, the inner core was filled with an acellular MDM scaffold (MDM + Meniscus). (d) MDM scaffolds were also cultured alone to assess the biochemical composition of the scaffold alone (MDM alone). (e) In order to generate seeded scaffolds, MSCs were transduced with enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) and seeded on the MDM scaffolds. These MSC seeded MDM scaffolds were used in the inner core of the meniscus tissue (MSC seeded MDM + Meniscus) to assess the effects of MSCs on the MDM scaffold and meniscus repair.