Cartilage formation by cultured chondrocytes in a new scaffold made of poly(L-lactide-epsilon-caprolactone) sponge.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the ability of chondrocytes grown in culture and inoculated into a newly developed biodegradable sponge to form ectopic cartilage tissue.


METHODS
Chondrocytes obtained from costochondral cartilage dissected from Lewis rats were cultured to allow proliferation and then were inoculated into a sponge consisting of a biodegradable polymer, poly (L-lactide-epsilon-caprolactone). The composites of chondrocytes and sponge were transplanted subcutaneously into Nude mice and removed after 4 weeks for histologic and Northern blot analysis.


RESULTS
Staining with hematoxylin and eosin showed the formation of a cartilage-like structure in the sponge. Northern blot analysis of the total RNA in the composites showed the presence of aggrecan transcripts of about 9 kb.


CONCLUSIONS
The poly (L-lactide-epsilon-caprolactone) sponge system, is suitable as a matrix for tissue-engineered cartilage.
Honda
M
M
Department of Oral Surgery, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan. mahonda@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Yada
T
T
Ueda
M
M
Kimata
K
K
D020341:Absorbable Implants; D053674:Aggrecans; D000818:Animals; D001709:Biotechnology; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002208:Caproates; D002356:Cartilage / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D011508:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007783:Lactones; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D011091:Polyesters / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew
C508320:Acan protein, mouse; C508321:Acan protein, rat; D053674:Aggrecans; D002208:Caproates; D011508:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D007783:Lactones; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D011091:Polyesters; D011509:Proteoglycans; C033616:poly(lactide); C121056:caprolactone; C062968:lactide-caprolactone copolymer