Figure 5 | Scientific Reports

Figure 5

From: Mesenchymal stromal cells donate mitochondria to articular chondrocytes exposed to mitochondrial, environmental, and mechanical stress

Figure 5

Bovine mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) home to damaged cartilage and transfer mitochondria (MT) to chondrocytes in situ. (A) Schematic depicting experimental design for cartilage explant injury. (B) Representative image of unimpacted cartilage explant stained with carboxyfluorescein diacetate (green) and seeded with lentiviral transduced mCherry-mito MSCs (red MT) compared to (C) injured cartilage seeded with MSCs and cultured for 4 days. MSCs localized to damaged areas on injured cartilage, while MSCs were not present on the surface of uninjured cartilage. (D) High magnification images of MSC (red MT) localized deep within a crack in injured cartilage (articular surface is toward the top). MSC interactions with chondrocytes (green) are evident in several locations (white arrowheads) and MT transfer is evident in areas of red+/green+ co-localization (yellow) close to the crack (top insets) as well as remote and deep to the crack (bottom inset).

Back to article page