A new method can monitor iron in cells known as mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), which can help determine their ability to grow tissue for cartilage repair. The breakthrough could lead to regenerative therapies for joint diseases.

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Researchers from SMART and MIT have developed a rapid, non-destructive method to monitor iron flux in mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) using a benchtop micromagnetic resonance relaxometry (µMRR) device. By measuring iron changes in spent cell culture media, the system can predict a cell batch's chondrogenic potential — its ability to form cartilage — within minutes, without damaging the cells. The study found that iron homeostasis strongly correlates with cartilage-forming ability, and that ascorbic acid supplementation can help regulate iron flux to improve MSC quality. This approach enables real-time quality control during MSC manufacturing, reducing the need for the current 21-day destructive tests, cutting costs, and accelerating clinical translation of regenerative therapies for joint diseases like osteoarthritis.

Improving cartilage repair through cell therapy