Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41274617›Full record

ArticleActa biomaterialia2026

A latent TGF-β conjugated scaffold improves neocartilage development.

Tianbai Wang, Yifan Peng, Bor-Lin Huang, Enkhjargal Budbazar, Celina C Maldonado, Andrew Martin, Matthew D Layne, Joanne E Murphy-Ullrich, Mark W Grinstaff, Michael B Albro

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Acta biomaterialia, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Tianbai WangDivision of Materials Science & Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Yifan PengDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Bor-Lin HuangDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Enkhjargal BudbazarDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Celina C MaldonadoDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Andrew MartinDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Matthew D LayneDepartment of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
Joanne E Murphy-UllrichDepartment of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
Mark W GrinstaffDivision of Materials Science & Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Michael B AlbroDivision of Materials Science & Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: albro@bu.edu.

Funding

A Bio-inspired Latent TGF-beta Conjugated Scaffold for Patient-specific Cartilage RegenerationR01AR078299 · NIAMS · BOSTON UNIVERSITY (CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS) · PI Michael B Albro · 2022 to 2026
$2.7M
NIAMS NIH HHS R01 AR078299
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

TGF-β is conventionally supplemented in culture medium at supraphysiologic doses to accelerate neocartilage development. While enhancing extracellular matrix (ECM) biosynthesis, supraphysiologic TGF-β further promotes non-hyaline cartilage features, including hyperplasia, hypertrophy, and ECM heterogeneities. In native cartilage, TGF-β is present in a latent complex (LTGF-β), which undergoes cell-mediated activation, leading to moderated, physiologic dosing regimens that avoid detrimental features associated with TGF-β excesses. Here, we explore a bio-inspired strategy, consisting of LTGF-β-conjugated scaffolds, providing TGF-β exposure regimens that are moderated and uniformly administered throughout the construct. We evaluate the performance of LTGF-β scaffolds with bovine chondrocyte-seeded agarose constructs compared to outcomes from active TGF-β media supplementation (MS) at a physiologic 0.3 ng/mL dose (MS-0.3), supraphysiologic 10 ng/mL dose (MS-10), or TGF-β free. LTGF-β scaffolds achieve native-matched mechanical properties and sGAG content, while providing a cell morphology and collagen distribution more reminiscent of hyaline cartilage. LTGF-β scaffolds further afford an optimal chondrogenic phenotype, marked by an up to 28-fold reduction of COL-I and 17-fold reduction of COL-X expression relative to TGF-β-free and MS-10, respectively. Further, LTGF-β scaffolds significantly reduce mechanical and biochemical heterogeneities relative to MS-0.3 and MS-10. Overall, LTGF-β scaffolds improve the composition, structure, material properties, and cell phenotype of neocartilage. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Inspired by native regulatory mechanisms, we introduce a latent TGF-β conjugated scaffold that enables localized, cell-mediated activation of TGF-β at physiologic levels. This approach yields neocartilage with native-matched composition and mechanical properties, while maintaining a hyaline-cartilage-like cell phenotype and morphology, thus mitigating the adverse developmental features associated with conventional active TGF-β dosing. This bio-inspired platform offers a compelling solution to current TGF-β delivery challenges to improve cartilage regeneration outcomes.

Indexed as

CartilageChondrocytesTissue ScaffoldsTransforming Growth Factor betaAnimalsCattleExtracellular MatrixTransforming Growth Factor betaBiomaterial scaffoldsCartilage tissue engineeringGrowth factor deliveryLatent transforming growth factor beta

Identifiers

PMID41274617
PMCPMC12994490

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.