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Intra-articular injection of 

synovium-derived mesenchymal 

stem cells and hyaluronic acid 

promote regeneration of massive 

cartilage defects in rabbits 

 

Vyacheslav Ogay1, Miras 

Karzhauov1, Ainur 

Mukhambetova1, Eric 

Raimagambetov1, Nurlan 

Batpenov2 

 
1Laboratory of Stem Cells, National 

Center for Biotechnology, Almaty, 

Kazakhstan; 2Scientific and Research 

Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, 

Almaty, Kazakhstan 

 

Vol. 2, Suppl. (2013)   |   ISSN 2166-7403 (online)    

DOI 10.5195/cajgh.2013.97   |   http://cajgh.pitt.edu 

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OGAY 

 

 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License. 

 

This journal is published by the University Library System of the University of Pittsburgh as part  

of its D-Scribe Digital Publishing Program and is cosponsored by the University of Pittsburgh Press. 

 

Central Asian Journal of Global Health 

Volume 2, Suppl. (2013)  |  ISSN 2166-7403 (online)  |  DOI 10.5195/cajgh.2013.97  |  http://cajgh.pitt.edu 

  

 

Abstract 

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether intra-articular injection of synovium-derived mesenchymal 

stem cells (SD MSCs) with low molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HA) could promote regeneration of massive cartilage in 

rabbits. 

Material and methods: The SD MSCs were harvested from the knees of 10 Flemish giant rabbits, expanded in culture, and 

characterized. A reproducible 4-mm cylindrical defect was created in the intercondylar groove area using a kit for the mosaic 

chondroplasty of femoral condyle COR (De Puy, Mitek). The defect was made within the cartilage layer without destruction of 

subchondral bone. Two weeks after the cartilage defect, SD MSCs (2 × 106 cell/0.15 ml) were suspended in 0.5% low molecular 

weight HA (0.15 ml) and injected into the left knee, and HA solution (0.30 ml) alone was placed into the right knee. Cartilage 

regeneration in the experimental and control groups were evaluated by macroscopically and histologically at 10, 30, and 60 days. 

Results: On day 10, after intra-articular injection of SD MSCs, we observed an early process of cartilage regeneration in the 

defect area. Histological studies revealed that cartilage defect was covered by a thin layer of spindle-shaped undifferentiated cells 

and proliferated chodroblasts. In contrast, an injection of HA did not induce reparation of cartilage in the defect area. At 30 days, 

macroscopic observation showed that the size of cartilage defect after SD MSC injection was significantly smaller than after HA 

injection. Histological score was also better in the MSC- treated intercondylar defect. At 60 days after MSC treatment, cartilage 

defect was nearly nonexistent and looked similar to an intact cartilage. 

Conclusion: Thus, intra-articular injection of SD MSCs can adhere to the defect in the intercondylar area, and promote cartilage 

regeneration in rabbits. 

Keywords: synovium-derived mesenchymal stem cells, cartilage regeneration, hyalunoric acid 

 

 

 

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