[Experimental study on repair of articular cartilage defect in large area with chondrocytes cultured on fascia].
OBJECTIVE
To study the biological characteristic and potential of chondrocytes grafting cultured on fascia in repairing large defect of articular cartilage in rabbits.


METHODS
Chondrocytes of young rabbits were isolated and sub-cultured on fascia. The large defect of articular cartilage was repaired by grafts of freeze-preserved and fresh chondrocytes cultured on fascia, and free chondrocytes respectively; the biological characteristic and metabolism were evaluated by macroscopic, histological and immunohistochemical observations, autoradiography method and the measurement of nitric oxide content 6, 12, 24 weeks after grafting.


RESULTS
The chondrocytes cultured on fascia maintained normal growth feature and metabolism, and there was no damage to chondrocytes after cryopreservation; the repaired cartilage was similar to the normal cartilage in cellular morphology and biological characteristics.


CONCLUSIONS
Chondrocytes could be cultured normally on fascia, which could be used as an ideal carrier of chondrocytes.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, General Hospital of PLA, Beijing, P. R. China 100853.
Gui-yong
GY
Yang
Shi-bi
SB
Lu
Bo-xun
BX
Zhang
Ji-fang
JF
Wang
Jing-xiang
JX
Huang
Zheng
Z
Gu
D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000637:transplantation*; D005205:Fascia; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous