title: An experimental study on costal osteochondral graft.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate usefulness of osteochondral grafting from the costo-osteochondral junction as a repair technique for articular cartilage defects histologic and biochemical analysis of grafted cartilage in rabbit knees was evaluated up to 48 weeks after transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty New Zealand White rabbits were used. A costal osteochondral plug was harvested from a middle rib. After trimming, it was transplanted into a cylindrical osteochondral 2.5 mm diameter and 5 mm deep defect created in the knee. The animals were sacrificed at 6, 12, 24, and 48 weeks after transplantation. Defect sites were inspected macroscopically, and then by light microscopy. Samples were evaluated for cell viability using a fluorescent in situ double-staining protocol with confocal laser microscopic analysis. Samples were also processed to assess type I & II collagen and aggrecan mRNA expression using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histologically, bone union was achieved in all plugs. Confocal microscopic analysis revealed chondrocyte viability in the 48-week grafts; the distribution of chondrocytes was similar to surrounding articular cartilage. The expression of type II collagen and aggrecan mRNA in the grafted cartilage was consistent with normal articular cartilage and normal costal cartilage. These results were observed over 6-48 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study revealed that chondrocytes in the grafted cartilage were viable at least up to 48 weeks and that mRNA expression of type II collagen and aggrecan was also similar to that of normal articular cartilage. These results suggest that costal osteochondral grafting can be a useful alternative in the treatment of osteochondral defects.
authors.affiliation: Hand and Shoulder Center of Western New York, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, USA. kazuki@a5.keio.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: O J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Moy
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Peimer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishiwaki
mesh_terms: D053674:Aggrecans / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000293:injuries* / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011817:Rabbits; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012272:Ribs / Q000637:transplantation*; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D053674:Aggrecans; D024043:Collagen Type II; D012333:RNA, Messenger