title: Engineering an in-vitro model of rodent cartilage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to identify a cell source, scaffold substrate and culture environment suitable for use in engineering an in-vitro model of rodent cartilage.
  
  
  METHODS
  The chondrogenic activity and stability of cells isolated at Day 18 of gestation was assessed under normoxia and hypoxia using a cytokine stimulation assay and gene expression analysis. The ability of the selected cells seeded in fibrous electrospun scaffolds to form cartilaginous tissue during longterm static and dynamic culture was assessed using immunocytochemistry and biochemical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rodent fetal chondrocytes appear to have enhanced phenotypic stability compared with other cell sources. Following 16 weeks under static culture, the engineered constructs were found to have greater cellularity and collagen content that native rodent cartilage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A cell source, scaffold and culture environment have been identified that support the generation of in-vitro rodent cartilage. In future work, cytokine treatment of the engineered tissues will take place to generate in-vitro osteoarthritis models.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham R&D, AstraZeneca, Leics, Loughborough, UK. Catherine.Rogers@nottingham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Terry S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Woolley
authors.forename: Simon C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Cruwys
authors.forename: Lee D K
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Buttery
authors.forename: Felicity R A J
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Shakesheff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002356:Cartilage / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D033042:Fetal Research; D015870:Gene Expression; D005865:Gestational Age; D000860:Hypoxia; D008954:Models, Biological; D010100:Oxygen / Q000494:pharmacology; D010641:Phenotype; D051381:Rats / Q000196:embryology*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012016:Reference Values; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D003094:Collagen; D010100:Oxygen