Table 1.
Comparison of In Vitro Synovium Models
| Cell monolayer1 | TE RA micropellet4 | Native explant58,59 | TE Synovial membrane | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross morphology | X | X | ✓ | ✓ |
| Structural organization | X (Pseudo-intima only) | ✓ (Intima + subintima) | ✓ | ✓ (Intima + subintima) |
| ECM content | X | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cell content | X (FLS only) | ✓ (FLS ± monocytes) | ✓ | ✓ (FLS ± MLS) |
| Lubricant secretion | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Transport | ✓ | X | ✓ | ✓ |
| Defined geometry and initial content | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ |
| Clinical specimen availability | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ |
| High-throughput mechanistic studies | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ |
ECM, extracellular matrix; FLS, fibroblast-like synoviocytes; MLS, macrophage-like synoviocytes; TE, tissue engineered; RA, rheumatoid arthritis.