A study of injectable tissue-engineered autologous cartilage.
OBJECTIVE
To test the effectiveness of the new techniques of tissue-engineered cartilage.


METHODS
Chondrocytes were harvested through type II collagenase digestion from the auricle of New Zealand rabbits. The cells were mixed with alginate to generate chondrocytes/alginate composites with final cellular density of 50 x 10(6) per mL. Calcium chloride was used as the cross-linking agent to gel the aqueous alginate solution. The chondrocytes/alginate composites were injected into the dorsal subcutaneous tissue of New Zealand rabbits through autologous cells grafts. The specimens were observed during cartilage formation at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after injection.


RESULTS
Prior to harvesting, chondrocytes/alginate composites were easily visualized under the dorsal skin of animals. The appearance of experimental specimens was similar to that of native cartilage in gross morphology. Using a standard hematoxylin and eosin stain, the histologic features of all experimental specimens demonstrated new cartilage formation. With a Masson's trichrome and safranin O stain, the presence of collagen and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) was observed at 8 and 12 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that polymerization of alginate hydrogel can be controlled to allow injection of chondrocytes that produce new autologous cartilage at subcutaneous dorsal site of rabbits. Injectable tissue-engineered autologous cartilage is promising for potential use in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Yang
W D
WD
Lab for Tissue Engineering, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Qin Du School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University (FMMU), Kang Fu Street No. 7, Xi'an, Shanxi 710032, P.R. China. yangwdwy#pub.xaonline.com
Chen
S J
SJ
Mao
T Q
TQ
Chen
F L
FL
Lei
D L
DL
Tao
K
K
Tang
L H
LH
Xiao
M G
MG
D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001391:Azo Compounds; D021522:Bioartificial Organs; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002122:Calcium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D002356:Cartilage / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D020219:Chondrogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D003094:Collagen / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; D004801:Eosine Yellowish-(YS); D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006416:Hematoxylin; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008739:Methyl Green; D023421:Models, Animal; D010619:Phenazines; D011817:Rabbits; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
D000464:Alginates; D001391:Azo Compounds; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D010619:Phenazines; C017768:trichrome stain; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D008739:Methyl Green; D003094:Collagen; D002122:Calcium Chloride; D004801:Eosine Yellowish-(YS); C009195:safranine T; D006416:Hematoxylin