Multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have enormous potential in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. However, until now, their development for clinical use has been severely limited as they are a mixed population of cells with varying capacities for lineage differentiation and tissue formation. Here, we identify receptor tyrosine kinase‐like orphan receptor 2 (ROR2) as a cell surface marker expressed by those MSCs with an enhanced capacity for cartilage formation. We generated clonal human MSC populations with varying capacities for chondrogenesis. ROR2 was identified through screening for upregulated genes in the most chondrogenic clones. When isolated from uncloned populations, ROR2+ve MSCs were significantly more chondrogenic than either ROR2–ve or unfractionated MSCs. In a sheep cartilage‐repair model, they produced significantly more defect filling with no loss of cartilage quality compared with controls. ROR2+ve MSCs/perivascular cells were present in developing human cartilage, adult bone marrow, and adipose tissue. Their frequency in bone marrow was significantly lower in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) than in controls. However, after isolation of these cells and their initial expansion in vitro, there was greater ROR2 expression in the population derived from OA patients compared with controls. Furthermore, osteoarthritis‐derived MSCs were better able to form cartilage than MSCs from control patients in a tissue engineering assay. We conclude that MSCs expressing high levels of ROR2 provide a defined population capable of predictably enhanced cartilage production. Stem Cells 2017;35:2280–2291

A series of asymmetric and symmetric diols were prepared in high yields from biomass-derived feedstocks 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) and 2,5-diformyl furan (DFF) as potential replacements for bisphenol A (BPA). The diols were screened for estrogenic, androgenic, antiandrogenic, and antithyroid activities in reporter gene assays. Several of the low molecular weight asymmetric diols did not exhibit activity in any of the assays and thus have promise as potentially more sustainable alternatives to BPA.

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A series of photocurable di(meth)acrylates from asymmetric and symmetric furan-based diols were prepared in good yields and evaluated for use as reactive diluents in UVcurable coatings. The furan-based di(meth)acrylates were found to have viscosities of ca. 9−91 mPa•s at 20 °C and were used as reactive diluents with a commonly used urethane acrylate resin to prepare photopolymerizable coating systems. The coating formulations were cured using UV light, and properties such as solvent resistance, hardness, impact strength, and adhesion were evaluated. The thermal properties of the coatings were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. Dynamic mechanical analysis was used to determine the viscoelastic properties of the coatings. Nanoindentation experiments were performed to evaluate the modulus of elasticity and hardness of the coatings. In general, the coatings containing the furan-based (meth)acrylates had high hardness, elastic modulus, and glass transition temperature.

A series of renewable novel bicyclic AB type polyester precursors have been prepared in good overall yield from lignocellulosic biomass. These advancements take full advantage of the differing oxidation states of functional groups in 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural by chemoselective preparation of furanic hydroxy esters and applying benzyne-Diels–Alder cycloaddition/aromatization strategies.