The Li Laboratory
Faculty > Wan-Ju Li
Wan-Ju Li
Assistant Professor,
Orthopedics and Rehabilitation; Biomedical Engineering
li@orthorehab.wisc.edu
Organ System/Disease Focus
Degenerative musculoskeletal disease
Aligned Research Focus
Musculoskeletal tissue engineering, musculoskeletal biology, mesenchymal stem cell biology
Research Description
We are interested in the research of musculoskeletal tissue regeneration using the stem cell-based tissue engineering approach. Stem cells are a cell source with a tremendous potential to serve as therapeutic agents for the treatment of degenerative musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoarthritis. The stem cell-based tissue engineering approach is to grow harvested stem cells in a three-dimensional, highly porous, biomimetic scaffold under a biologically favored, in vitro environment in which the needed biochemical and biomechanical signals are provided for stem cell proliferation and differentiation, extracellular matrix production, and tissue maturation.
We have three specific research goals: 1) maintain the stemness properties of stem cells in vitro before the differentiation induction, 2) effectively differentiate stem cells into desired connective tissue-specific lineages, 3) promote the cellular construct to develop into a mature, functional tissue. To achieve these goals, we utilize unique extracellular matrix-like nanofibers functioning as a stem cell niche to maintain the biological properties of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell. With the cues from growth factors and/or other induction chemicals, mesenchymal stem cells cultured in nanofiber-based scaffolds can be effectively differentiated and produce tissue-specific extracellular matrix, generating tissue-engineered musculoskeletal tissues such as bone and cartilage.
Selected References
Tuli R, Nandi S, Li WJ, Tuli S, Huang X, Manner P, Laquerriere P, Nöth U, Tuan RS. Human mesenchymal progenitor cell-based tissue engineering of a single-unit osteochondral construct. Tissue Eng 2004; 10(7): 1169-1179.
Li WJ, Tuli R, Okafor C, Derfoul A, Danielson KG, Hall DJ, Tuan RS. A three-dimensional nanofibrous scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering using human mesenchymal stem cells. Biomaterials 2005; 26(6): 599-609.
Li WJ, Tuli R, Huang X, Laquerriere P, Tuan RS. Multilineage differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells in a three-dimensional nanofibrous scaffold. Biomaterials 2005; 26: 5158-5166.
Li WJ, Cooper JA, Mauck RL, Tuan RS. Fabrication and characterization of six electrospun poly(alpha-hydroxy ester) based fibrous scaffolds for tissue engineering. Acta Biomaterialia 2006; 2: 377-385.
Cho E, Li WJ. Human stem cells, chromatin, and tissue engineering: boosting relevancy in developmental toxicity testing. Birth Defects Res C Embryo Today 2007; 81: 20-40.