Cartilage outgrowth in fibrin scaffolds.
BACKGROUND
Fibrin glue has been a favorable hydrogel in cartilage tissue engineering, but implantation of chondrocyte-fibrin suspensions have resulted in volume loss. In this study, human septal cartilage chips were seeded onto a fibrin scaffold, and cellular proliferation and production of cartilaginous extracellular matrix (ECM) were evaluated.


METHODS
Human septal cartilage was diced into cartilage chips and encased with and without fibrin glue. Four conditions were initially tested for DNA content and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) production: (1) control medium in tissue culture, (2) control medium with fibrin glue, (3) collagenase-supplemented medium in tissue culture, and (4) collagenase-supplemented medium seeded in fibrin glue. Cartilage chips cultured in collagenase-treated medium were then seeded onto either cell culture plates, suspended in alginate, or mixed with fibrin. Cellular proliferation, GAG production, and histochemistry were evaluated.


RESULTS
Fibrin preparations increased cellular proliferation and DNA content. GAG levels were highest in collagenase-treated samples encased in fibrin. Cartilage chips treated with collagenase showed increased cellular proliferation in the fibrin preparations compared with preparations without fibrin. GAG increased with the addition of fibrin when compared with explant. Histochemistry revealed increased GAG accumulation in the regions between the cartilage chips with the addition of fibrin.


CONCLUSIONS
Adding fibrin glue to collagenase-treated cartilage chips results in increased proliferation and maintains ECM production and, therefore, may facilitate generation of cartilaginous tissue for use in reconstructive surgery.
Sage
August
A
University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Bioengineering University of California, San Diego, California 92161, USA.
Chang
Angela A
AA
Schumacher
Barbara L
BL
Sah
Robert L
RL
Watson
Deborah
D
D002356:Cartilage / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration; D006801:Humans; D009300:Nasal Septum; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D015626:Tissue Expansion; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; C020341:glucosaminoglycans