Repair function in organ cultured human cartilage. Replacement of enzymatically removed proteoglycans during longterm organ culture.
The effect of enzymatic removal of proteoglycans (PG) from the extracellular matrix of human articular cartilage on subsequent PG metabolism of the remaining chondrocytes was investigated for periods of up to 12 weeks. Chondrocytes resynthesized normally aggregated PG but these macromolecules failed to stabilize in the intercellular matrix of the organ cultured explants and consequently diffused into the nutrient medium. After being in culture for about 2 months the chondrocytes no longer compensated for this PG loss and ceased to synthesize these biopolymers. A shift towards hyaluronic acid synthesis--as seen in dedifferentiated chondrocyte cultures--was not observed during the culture period. In this model some attempts at repair were demonstrated.
D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013997:Time Factors; D014357:Trypsin
D011509:Proteoglycans; D014357:Trypsin