Formation of cartilage in vivo with immobilized autologous rabbit auricular cultured chondrocytes in collagen matrices.
BACKGROUND
The availability of generated cartilage de novo is one of the needs of reconstructive surgery. In this study, the authors constructed a matrix formed by autologous immobilized chondrocytes using collagen gel as a scaffold. Furthermore, the ability of these matrices to engraft and generate new cartilage was examined.


METHODS
Biopsy specimens of elastic cartilage were surgically obtained from the ears of eight New Zealand White rabbits. After collagenase II digestion of cartilage, chondrocytes were isolated and propagated in culture medium. Chondrocytes were immobilized into bovine collagen lattices and implanted, replacing pieces of removed native cartilage. Five weeks after implantation, the rabbits were killed and the ears were examined macroscopically and analyzed by means of histochemical methods.


RESULTS
The results show the formation of new cartilage from implanted lattices with chondrocytes. Gross analysis of the ears shows similarities in appearance, consistency, texture, and histology between native and new cartilage. Fluorescence of the nucleus from bisbenzimide-labeled chondrocytes was detected in newly formed tissue, pointing out its in vitro culture origin. No signs of an inflammatory reaction attributable to implants were found in either the control or the chondrocyte lattices.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors suggest that this approach is of value for future clinical use.
Sanz
Ernesto
E
Valencia, Spain From the Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Spanish Council for Scientific Research, and Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario "La Fe."
Peñas
Lucas
L
Lequerica
Juan L
JL
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000637:transplantation*; D020219:Chondrogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004425:Ear Cartilage / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D006085:Graft Survival; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020007:Implants, Experimental; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
D003094:Collagen