title: Tissue engineering of articular cartilage using an allograft of cultured chondrocytes in a membrane-sealed atelocollagen honeycomb-shaped scaffold (ACHMS scaffold).
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate with tissue engineering procedures the possibility of using atelocollagen honeycomb-shaped scaffolds sealed with a membrane (ACHMS scaffold) for the culturing of chondrocytes to repair articular cartilage defects. Chondrocytes from the articular cartilage of Japanese white rabbits were cultured in ACHMS scaffolds to allow a high-density, three-dimensional culturing for up to 21 days. Although the DNA content in the scaffold increased at a lower rate than monolayer culturing, scanning electron microscopy data showed that the scaffold was filled with grown chondrocytes and their produced extracellular matrix after 21 days. In addition, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) accumulation in the scaffold culture was at a higher level than the monolayer culture. Cultured cartilage in vitro for 14 days showed enough elasticity and stiffness to be handled in vivo. An articular cartilage defect was initiated in the patellar groove of the femur of rabbits and was subsequently filled with the chondrocyte-cultured ACHMS scaffold, ACHMS scaffold alone, or non-filled (control). Three months after the operations, histological analysis showed that only defects inserted with chondrocytes being cultured in ACHMS scaffolds were filled with reparative hyaline cartilage, and thereby highly expressing type II collagen. These results indicate that implantation of allogenic chondrocytes cultured in ACHMS scaffolds may be effective in repairing articular cartilage defects.
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Defense Medical College, 3-2 Namiki, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-8513, Japan.
authors: Kazunori
authors: K
authors: Masuoka
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Asazuma
authors: Masayuki
authors: M
authors: Ishihara
authors: Masato
authors: M
authors: Sato
authors: Hidemi
authors: H
authors: Hattori
authors: Miya
authors: M
authors: Ishihara
authors: Yasuo
authors: Y
authors: Yoshihara
authors: Takemi
authors: T
authors: Matsui
authors: Bonpei
authors: B
authors: Takase
authors: Makoto
authors: M
authors: Kikuchi
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Nemoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D021522:Bioartificial Organs; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000637:transplantation*; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005269:Femur; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011817:Rabbits; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: C059821:atelocollagen; D003094:Collagen