Effects of cyclic hydrostatic pressure on the metabolism of human osteoarthritic chondrocytes cultivated in a collagen gel.
Among other parameters, the application of mechanical force may provide an important stimulus in modulating the structure and function of tissue-engineered articular cartilage. We developed a cultivation chamber in which six collagen type-I gel samples, seeded with human osteoarthritic chondrocytes, can be cultivated simultaneously. A cyclic hydrostatic pressure of up to 40 kPa with a frequency of 0.0125 Hz was applied, and cultivation was performed for 1, 4, 7, or 14 days. Histological examinations revealed a spheroidal cell morphology in the treatment group. In contrast, control samples of the same patients represented a more fibroblastic appearance. Collagen type-II (col-II) protein was found in the very pericellular region of all investigated samples; the col-II content did not obviously vary between the control and treatment groups. In the treatment group, col-II and aggrecan gene expression were elevated. A spectrophotometric quantification of proteoglycan concentrations in media supernatants revealed a statistically significant enhancement in the treatment group.
Gavénis
Karsten
K
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.
Kremer
André
A
Von Walter
Matthias
M
Hollander
Dirk A
DA
Schneider
Ulrich
U
Schmidt-Rohlfing
Bernhard
B
D000368:Aged; D053674:Aggrecans / Q000378:metabolism; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000166:cytology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D006874:Hydrostatic Pressure; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000378:metabolism*; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000032:analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
D053674:Aggrecans; D024043:Collagen Type II; D005782:Gels; D011509:Proteoglycans; D012333:RNA, Messenger