Propagation of human nasal chondrocytes in microcarrier spinner culture.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of nasal septal chondrocytes, propagated in microcarrier spinner culture, as an alternative tissue source of chondrocytic cells for cartilage grafts for head and neck surgery and for articular cartilage repair.


METHODS
We harvested chondrocytes from 159 patients, ranging in age from 15 to 80 years and undergoing repair of a deviated nasal septum, and propagated the cells in a microcarrier spinner culture system. The nasal chondrocytes proliferated and produced extracellular matrix components similar to that produced by articular chondrocytes.


RESULTS
In microcarrier spinner culture on collagen beads, chondrocyte numbers increased up to 14-fold in 2 weeks. After a month, the microcarriers seeded with nasal chondrocytes began to aggregate, producing a dense cartilage-like material. The newly synthesized extracellular matrix was rich in high molecular weight proteoglycans, and the chondrocytes expressed type II collagen and aggrecan but not type I collagen.


CONCLUSIONS
These studies support the feasibility of engineering cartilage tissue using chondrocytes harvested from the nasal septum. Injectable and solid formulations based on this technology are being evaluated for applications in craniomaxillofacial reconstructive surgery and for plastic and orthopedic surgery practices.
Shikani
Alan H
AH
Department of Otolaryngology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Fink
David J
DJ
Sohrabi
Afshin
A
Phan
Phong
P
Polotsky
Anna
A
Hungerford
David S
DS
Frondoza
Carmelita G
CG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002358:Cartilage, Articular; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008863:Microspheres; D008875:Middle Aged; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000166:cytology*; D010641:Phenotype; D010784:Photomicrography; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods
D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned