title: Human chondrocyte cell lines from articular cartilage of metatarsal phalangeal joints.
abstract: Chondrocytes can be isolated from human adult cartilage from metatarsal phalangeal joints. After enzymatic digestion to isolate viable cells, confluent monolayers were obtained 2-4 weeks after the start of cell division. Chondrocytes cultures, initiated and maintained in HAM's F12 with bovine fetal serum without the addition of other growth factors, produced in vitro a matrix rich in collagen and proteoglycans. Although several studies reported phenotypic instability, our results showed that the cell retain for more than 5 months in culture their differentiated characteristics, including the ability to produce cartilage-specific molecules. Chondrocyte cell lines should be useful in studying the functions of these cells from normal and abnormal tissue and for pharmacological studies in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. ampatti@axrma.uniroma.it
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Patti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gabriele
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Della Rocca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000166:cytology*; D002417:Cattle; D002460:Cell Line; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008683:Metatarsophalangeal Joint / Q000166:cytology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009418:S100 Proteins; C110294:S100A1 protein; D003094:Collagen