title: Growth requirements of low-density rabbit costal chondrocyte cultures maintained in serum-free medium.
abstract: The factors required for the active proliferation of low-density rabbit costal chondrocytes exposed to 9:1 (v/v) mixture of Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium and Ham's F12 medium have been defined. Low-density primary cultures of rabbit costal chondrocytes proliferated actively when the medium was supplemented with high-density lipoprotein (300 micrograms/ml), transferrin (60 micrograms/ml), fibroblast growth factor (FGF) (1 ng/ml), hydrocortisone (10(-6) M), and epidermal growth factor (EGF) (30 ng/ml). Insulin, although it slightly decreased the final cell density, was required for reexpression of the cartilage phenotype at confluence. Optimal proliferation of low-density chondrocyte cultures was only observed when dishes were coated with an extracellular matrix (ECM) produced by cultured corneal endothelial cells, but not on plastic. Furthermore, serum-free chondrocyte cultures seeded at low density and maintained on ECM-coated dishes gave rise to a homogeneous cartilage-like tissue composed of spherical cells. These chondrocytes therefore seem to provide a good experimental system for analyzing factors involved in supporting proliferation of chondrocytes and their phenotypic expression.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002356:Cartilage / Q000166:cytology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D014168:Transferrin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D007328:Insulin; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D014168:Transferrin; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D006854:Hydrocortisone