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Biomedical Engineering Faculty

Xiao-Dong Chen, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Restorative Dentistry

Educational Background:
M.D., Shanghai Second Medical University, China
Ph.D., University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Post-Doc, Yale University

Areas of Research Interest:

  • Isolation and characterization of adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from bone marrow and peripheral blood
  • Regulation of the proliferation and the differentiation of MSCs
  • Role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in controlling the fate of MSCs
  • Improvement of the quantity and quality of aging MSCs by providing an optimal microenvironment (niche) in ex vivo culture system


    • MSCs are potentially useful for cell-based tissue engineering including the repair of skeletal tissue in non-union fractures, reconstructive surgery following trauma or after tumor removal. However, MSCs are rare in bone marrow (approximately 0.01% to 0.001%), and they are difficult to expand in a standard culture systems without losing their properties. This situation has impaired the study of cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the control of MSC behavior, and thereby limits their therapeutic potential. In the past several years, we have established that the ECM made by marrow stromal cells specifically governs the ability of MSCs to both self-renew and differentiate into a particular lineage, at least in part, by regulating exposure of cells to factors that control their replication and differentiation. Using this system, we will examine whether such stromal cell-derived ECM facilitates efforts to purify MSCs, and investigate in greater detail how MSC replication and differentiation are controlled to produce osteoblasts during skeletogenesis and bone remodeling. Once these experiments are accomplished, we will be able to dissect the role of specific proteins in the maintenance of a functional niche for MSCs. In addition, it will be possible to evaluate the use of such ECM preparations as scaffolds for transplanting MSCs in therapeutic approaches to promote bone healing or to repair bone defects.

    Selected Publications:
    X.D. Chen, V. Dusevich, J.Q. Feng, S.C. Manolagas, and R. L. Jilka. Extracellular Matrix Made by Bone Marrow Cells Facilitates Expansion of Marrow-derived Mesenchymal Progenitor Cells and Prevents Their Differentiation into Osteoblasts. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. In Press, 2007.

    J.M. Wallace, R.M. Rajachar, X.D. Chen, S. Shi, M.R. Allen, S.A. Bloomfield, C.M. Les, P.G. Robey, M.F. Young, and D.H. Kohn. The mechanical phenotype of biglycan-deficient mice is bone- and gender-specific. Bone 39:106-16, 2006.

    Y. Bi, C.H. Stuelten, T. Kilts, S. Wadhwa, R.V. Iozzo, P.G. Robey, X.D. Chen (co-corresponding author), and M.F. Young. Extracellular matrix proteoglycans control the fate of bone marrow stromal cells. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 280: 30481-30490, 2005.

    X.D. Chen, X. Bian, T. Teslovisch, D.A. Stephan, and M.F. Young. Dissection of the Sets of Genes that Control the Behavior of Biglycan Deficient Pre-osteoblasts Using Oligonucleotide Microarrays. Bone 37:192-203, 2005.

    Masako Miura, Xiao-Dong Chen (co-first author), Matthew R. Allen, Yanming Bi, Stan Gronthos, Byoung-Moo Seo, Saquib Lakhani, Richard A. Flavel, Xin-Hua Feng, Pamela Gehron Robey, Marian Young, and Songtao Shi. A crucial role of Caspase-3 in osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal stem cells. The Journal of Clinical Investigation 114: 1704-1713, 2004.

    X.D. Chen, L.W. Fisher, P.G. Robey, and M.F. Young. The small leucine-rich proteoglycan biglycan modulates BMP-4-induced osteoblast differentiation. The FASEB Journal 18: 948-958, 2004.

    M. F. Young, Y. Bi, L. Ameye and X.D. Chen. Biglycan Knockout Mice: New Models for Musculoskeletal Diseases. Glycoconjugate Journal 19: 257-262, 2003.

    X.D. Chen, M. R. Allen, T. Xu, and M. F. Young. Biglycan Deficient Mice Have Delayed Osteogenesis after Marrow Ablation. Calcified Tissue International. 72(5):577-82, 2003.

    K.L. Neilsen, M.R. Allen, S.A. Bloomfield, I.A. Timm, X.D. Chen, M. F. Young, and A. Heegaard. Biglycan Deficiency Interferes with Ovariectomy-induced Bone Loss. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. 18 (12): 2152-8, 2003.

    X.D. Chen, S. Shi, T. Xu, P.G. Robey and M.F. Young. Age-related Osteoporosis in Biglycan Deficient Mice Is Related to A Defect in Bone Marrow Stromal Cells. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 17: 331-340, 2002.

    A Corsi, T. Xu, X.D. Chen, A. Boyde, J. Liang, M. Mankani, B. Sommer, R. Iozza, K. Denialson, L.W. Fish, P. Bianco, P Gehron Robey, and M F Young. Biglycan and Decorin Deficiency Interferes with Collagen Assembly and Structure and Results in Diverse Ehlers-Danlos-like Phenotypes. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 17: 1180-1189, 2002.

    X.D. Chen, H.Y. Qiao and M. C. Horowitz. Thy-1 Antigen Expression by Cells in the Osteoblast Lineage. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 14: 362-375, 1999.

    X.D. Chen and James B. Turpen. Intraembryonic Origin of Hepatic Hematopoiesis in Xenopus Laevis. The Journal of Immunology, 154: 2557-2567, 1995.

    Contact Information:

    Department of Restorative Dentistry, Room 2.551U DTL
    University of Texas Health Science Center
    Phone:210-567-1728
    Fax: 210-567-3669
    Chenx4@uthscsa.edu

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