Creating artificial perichondrium by polymer complex membrane macroencapsulation: immune protection and stabilization of subcutaneously transplanted tissue-engineered cartilage.
Functional organ or tissue failure is one of the most frequent, devastating and costly problems in modern health care. The field of tissue engineering has tremendous potential for developing new functional tissue. In reconstructive surgery, cartilage engineering could be a serious alternative to the established method of autologous cartilage transplantation. Recent studies demonstrate cartilage engineering by subcutaneous implantation of chondrocyte-seeded PGA/PLA-fibrin glue scaffolds in the backs of nude mice. In both autologous cartilage transplantation and cartilage engineering, the host immune response affects transplant integrity and cartilage morphology to an unforeseeable extent. To investigate whether polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) membranes can prevent rejection of cartilage transplants without neglecting tissue metabolism, tissue-engineered cartilage encapsulated with a PEC membrane was subcutaneously implanted in the backs of nude mice. Non-encapsulated tissue-engineered cartilage was used for the control group. Histochemistry and scanning electron microscopy were performed 4 and 12 weeks after implantation. There was no interaction between the host and the implant with an intact PEC membrane. With protection by PEC encapsulation, implanted tissue-engineered cartilage showed no signs of degeneration and had a significantly weaker cellular immune response than without it. Thus, PEC membrane encapsulation appears to be a novel approach for protecting cartilage implants from host immune response after autologous transplantation.
Haisch
Andreas
A
Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Charité, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany. andreas.haisch@charite.de
Gröger
Andreas
A
Gebert
Christopher
C
Leder
Korinna
K
Ebmeyer
Jörg
J
Sudhoff
Holger
H
Jovanovic
Sergije
S
Sedlmaier
Benedikt
B
Sittinger
Michael
M
D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000637:transplantation*; D002417:Cattle; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D023421:Models, Animal; D011095:Polyethylenes; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011095:Polyethylenes; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; C041004:poly-N,N-dimethyl-N,N-diallylammonium chloride