Ectopic bone formation during tissue-engineered cartilage repair using autologous chondrocytes and novel plasma-derived albumin scaffolds.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were twofold: first, to evaluate the production of cartilaginous tissue in vitro and in vivo using a novel plasma-derived scaffold, and second, to test the repair of experimental defects made on ears of New Zealand rabbits (NZr) using this approach.


METHODS
Scaffolds were seeded with chondrocytes and cultured in vitro for 3 months to check in vitro cartilage production. To evaluate in vivo cartilage production, a chondrocyte-seeded scaffold was transplanted subcutaneously to a nude mouse. To check in vivo repair, experimental defects made in the ears of five New Zealand rabbits (NZr) were filled with chondrocyte-seeded scaffolds.


RESULTS
In vitro culture produced mature chondrocytes with no extracellular matrix (ECM). Histological examination of redifferentiated in vitro cultures showed differentiated chondrocytes adhered to scaffold pores. Subcutaneous transplantation of these constructs to a nude mouse produced cartilage, confirmed by histological study. Experimental cartilage repair in five NZr showed cartilaginous tissue repairing the defects, mixed with calcified areas of bone formation.


CONCLUSIONS
It is possible to produce cartilaginous tissue in vivo and to repair experimental auricular defects by means of chondrocyte cultures and the novel plasma-derived scaffold. Further studies are needed to determine the significance of bone formation in the samples.
Department of Plastic Surgery, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain. Electronic address: davidrobla@gmail.com.
David
D
Robla Costales
Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain.
Luis
L
Junquera
Centro Comunitario de Sangre y Tejidos, de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain; Biodan Science, Madrid, Spain.
Eva
E
García Pérez
Centro Comunitario de Sangre y Tejidos, de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain; Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Red de enfermedades raras (CIBERER-U714), Oviedo, Spain.
Sara
S
Gómez Llames
Unidad de Trasplantes, Terapia Celular y Medicina Regenerativa, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain.
María
M
Álvarez-Viejo
Centro Comunitario de Sangre y Tejidos, de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain; Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Red de enfermedades raras (CIBERER-U714), Oviedo, Spain.
Álvaro
Á
Meana-Infiesta
D000818:Animals; D002356:Cartilage / Q000254:growth & development / Q000293:injuries*; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000502:physiology* / Q000637:transplantation; D004425:Ear Cartilage / Q000254:growth & development / Q000293:injuries; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009999:Ossification, Heterotopic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011817:Rabbits; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
Albumin; Cartilage; Chondrocyte; Ossification; Scaffold