[Improvement upon construction of tissue-engineered allogeneic cartilage molded with polyglycolic acid as the scaffold].
OBJECTIVE
To improve the method for constructing allogeneic molded cartilage by means of tissue engineering techniques.


METHODS
The chondrocytes from the rib and articular cartilage of infant rabbits were harvested by type II collagenase digestion, followed by in vitro cell culture for 3 to 4 passages. The chondrocytes were then prepared into cell suspension and seeded onto   C  -and   O  -shaped pre-molded polyglycolic acid (PGA) scaffolds form chondrocyte-PGA composites, which were subsequently cultured in vitro for 7 to 10 d before implanted subcutaneously into adult rabbits. Improvement was made upon conventional shaping and implantation procedures. Morphological observation and cartilage regeneration assessment were conducted at different time points following the implantation, in comparison with the observation by conventional shaping and implantation methods.


RESULTS
During in vitro cell culture, the rate of viable chondrocytes in the final cell suspension was (92+/-2)% after well-controlled prolongation of digestion trypsin, similar to the viable cell rate (93+/-2) % by traditional procedures (P>0.05). Gross observation found milk-white, newly generated cartilage which had good flexibility 4 weeks after implantation, and after 8 weeks and later, the cartilage took on the color of porcelain-white. Histological examination showed a few inflammatory cells around the newly generated immature cartilage 4 weeks after implantation, and the inflammation abated when the newly generated cartilage acquired similar histological properties to that of the original cartilage 8 weeks postoperatively and later. After 16 weeks, no blood vessel or capillaries were visible within the new cartilage.


CONCLUSIONS
The chondrocyte viability is not affected when the cells are treated with well-controlled prolonged digestion with trypsin during in vitro cell culture. Improved PGA scaffolds shaping and the implantation procedure facilitate the regeneration of the cartilage after the implantation of the composites.
Sun
An-Ke
AK
Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Nanfang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Pei
Guo-Xian
GX
Zhou
Guo-Ping
GP
Chen
Wen-Xuan
WX
D000818:Animals; D002356:Cartilage / Q000637:transplantation*; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D011817:Rabbits; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D011100:Polyglycolic Acid