Implanted 3D gelatin microcryogel enables low-dose cell therapy for osteoarthritis by preserving the viability and function of umbilical cord MSCs

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown promise as a therapy for osteoarthritis (OA). However, to date there is no standardized cell dosage, and the mechanism of action of MSCs in OA is still not completely understood. Biomaterials are considered to improve seeded cell function, so we established biocompatible and biodegradable gelatin microcryogels (GMs) as the carrier for umbilical cord–derived MSCs (UCMSCs) in this study. First, we generated...