Engineering cartilage with human nasal chondrocytes and a silanized hydroxypropyl methylcellulose hydrogel.
Tissue engineering strategies, based on developing three-dimensional scaffolds capable of transferring autologous chondrogenic cells, holds promise for the restoration of damaged cartilage. In this study, the authors aimed at determining whether a recently developed silanized hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (Si-HPMC) hydrogel can be a suitable scaffold for human nasal chondrocytes (HNC)-based cartilage engineering. Methyltetrazolium salt assay and cell counting experiments first revealed that Si-HPMC enabled the proliferation of HNC. Cell tracker green staining further demonstrated that HNC were able to form nodular structures in this three-dimensional scaffold. HNC phenotype was then assessed by RT-PCR analysis of type II collagen and aggrecan expression as well as alcian blue staining of extracellular matrix. Our data indicated that Si-HPMC allowed the maintenance and the recovery of a chondrocytic phenotype. The ability of constructs HNC/Si-HPMC to form a cartilaginous tissue in vivo was finally investigated after 3 weeks of implantation in subcutaneous pockets of nude mice. Histological examination of the engineered constructs revealed the formation of a cartilage-like tissue with an extracellular matrix containing glycosaminoglycans and type II collagen. The whole of these results demonstrate that Si-HPMC hydrogel associated to HNC is a convenient approach for cartilage tissue engineering.
Vinatier
C
C
INSERM U 791, Laboratory of Osteoarticular and Dental Tissue Engineering, LIOAD, University of Nantes, France.
Magne
D
D
Moreau
A
A
Gauthier
O
O
Malard
O
O
Vignes-Colombeix
C
C
Daculsi
G
G
Weiss
P
P
Guicheux
J
J
D053674:Aggrecans / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002356:Cartilage / Q000166:cytology / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D008747:Methylcellulose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D009666:Nose / Q000166:cytology; D023822:Tissue Engineering
D053674:Aggrecans; D024043:Collagen Type II; D020100:Hydrogels; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D008747:Methylcellulose