Molecular and phenotypic modulations of primary and immortalized canine chondrocytes in different culture systems.
This study was conducted to determine physiological and functional features of primary and immortalized canine chondrocytes. Chondrocytes were immortalized by introducing the catalytic component of human telomerase namely human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). Primary chondrocytes lost their characteristic phenotype and growth properties whereas the immortalized cells remained polygonal with rapid growth rate. The expression of chondrocyte-specific markers decreased many-fold whereas that of chondrocyte-non-specific gene increased in primary chondrocytes. The immortalized cells did not express chondrocyte-specific genes in monolayers. Both primary and immortalized cells were encapsulated in alginate microspheres to construct three-dimensional (3D) culture system. As the primary chondrocytes, also the telomerase-transfected cells adopted a chondrocyte-specific gene expression pattern in alginate culture. Thus, the expression of telomerase represents possibility to expand chondrocytes without limitation while maintaining the chondrocyte-specific phenotype in 3D cultures. Use of such cells provides a standardized tool for testing different tissue engineering applications in canine model.
Institute of Immunology and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität, House 18, Philippstrasse 13, D-10115 Berlin, Germany.
Muhammad Farooq
MF
Rai
P Sivaramakrishna
PS
Rachakonda
Kizzie
K
Manning
Christiane
C
Palissa
Michael
M
Sittinger
Jochen
J
Ringe
Michael F G
MF
Schmidt
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000662:veterinary*; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D004285:Dogs; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012313:RNA; D019098:Telomerase