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Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research
Published in: Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research 1/2012

Open Access 01-12-2012 | Research article

An ovine in vitro model for chondrocyte-based scaffold-assisted cartilage grafts

Authors: Michaela Endres, Katja Neumann, Bei Zhou, Undine Freymann, David Pretzel, Marcus Stoffel, Raimund W Kinne, Christian Kaps

Published in: Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research | Issue 1/2012

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Abstract

Background

Scaffold-assisted autologous chondrocyte implantation is an effective clinical procedure for cartilage repair. From the regulatory point of view, the ovine model is one of the suggested large animal models for pre-clinical studies. The aim of our study was to evaluate the in vitro re-differentiation capacity of expanded ovine chondrocytes in biomechanically characterized polyglycolic acid (PGA)/fibrin biomaterials for scaffold-assisted cartilage repair.

Methods

Ovine chondrocytes harvested from adult articular cartilage were expanded in monolayer and re-assembled three-dimensionally in PGA-fibrin scaffolds. De- and re-differentiation of ovine chondrocytes in PGA-fibrin scaffolds was assessed by histological and immuno-histochemical staining as well as by real-time gene expression analysis of typical cartilage marker molecules and the matrix-remodelling enzymes matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) -1, -2 and −13 as well as their inhibitors. PGA scaffolds characteristics including degradation and stiffness were analysed by electron microscopy and biomechanical testing.

Results

Histological, immuno-histochemical and gene expression analysis showed that dedifferentiated chondrocytes re-differentiate in PGA-fibrin scaffolds and form a cartilaginous matrix. Re-differentiation was accompanied by the induction of type II collagen and aggrecan, while MMP expression decreased in prolonged tissue culture. Electron microscopy and biomechanical tests revealed that the non-woven PGA scaffold shows a textile structure with high tensile strength of 3.6 N/mm2 and a stiffness of up to 0.44 N/mm2, when combined with gel-like fibrin.

Conclusion

These data suggest that PGA-fibrin is suited as a mechanically stable support structure for scaffold-assisted chondrocyte grafts, initiating chondrogenic re-differentiation of expanded chondrocytes.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
An ovine in vitro model for chondrocyte-based scaffold-assisted cartilage grafts
Authors
Michaela Endres
Katja Neumann
Bei Zhou
Undine Freymann
David Pretzel
Marcus Stoffel
Raimund W Kinne
Christian Kaps
Publication date
01-12-2012
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research / Issue 1/2012
Electronic ISSN: 1749-799X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1749-799X-7-37

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