title: Delivery of dexamethasone, ascorbate, and growth factor (TGF beta-3) in thermo-reversible hydrogel constructs embedded with rabbit chondrocytes.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (p(NiPAAm-co-AAc)) as an injectable drug delivery vehicle and a cell therapeutic agent in the form of a supporting matrix for the chondrogenic differentiation of rabbit chondrocytes. The p(NiPAAm-co-AAc) hydrogel itself without specific differentiation-inducing drugs was used as a control in order to determine the effects of these materials on chondrogenic differentiation. The level of cartilage associated extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins was examined by immunohistochemical staining for collagen type II as well as Safranin-O and Alcian blue (GAG) staining. These results highlight the potential of a thermo-reversible hydrogel mixed with chondrocytes and differentiation materials as an injectable delivery vehicle for use in neocartilage formation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, 43-1 Yokkok2-dong, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon 420-743, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Ji Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sung Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Bo Kyung
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Dae Gyun
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Hyung-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Keun-Hong
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001483:Base Sequence; D019902:Chondrocytes; D015342:DNA Probes; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020100:Hydrogels; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D011817:Rabbits; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D053782:Transforming Growth Factor beta3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D020100:Hydrogels; D053782:Transforming Growth Factor beta3; D003907:Dexamethasone; D001205:Ascorbic Acid