INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTS OF CALORIC RESTRICTION ON THE CHONDROGENIC DIFFERENTIATION OF HUMAN MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS

Abstract

This thesis investigated the effects of transient caloric restriction on the chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. High-density cell cultures were exposed to 72-hour glucose deprivation at different stages of differentiation, and cell viability, extracellular matrix formation, and gene expression were analyzed. Transient caloric restriction did not significantly affect cell viability but altered extracellular matrix production and the expression of several chondrogenic and mesenchymal stem cell markers. These findings suggest that short-term caloric restriction can influence the chondrogenic differentiation process in vitro. The study provides a foundation for future research into metabolic regulation of cartilage regeneration and tissue engineering.