Effect of gravitational force on the development of articular neocartilage with bovine primary chondrocytes

• A lot of effort has been invested into understanding how to assemble cartilage tissue in vitro. Various scaffold types have been used in order to manufacture cartilage tissue with native-like biological properties, while cell-based self-assembly of cartilage without a scaffold material is another strategy utilized. Mechanical forces have also been exploited in the manufacturing process. In this study, we used bovine primary chondrocytes to self-assemble a scaffold-free constructs to investigate whether mechanical loading by gravitational force would be useful in manufacturing cartilage tissue in vitro. Six million chondrocytes were laid on top of defatted bone disks placed inside agarose well in 50 ml culture tubes. The constructs were centrifuged once or three times a day for 15 min at gravitational force of 770 x g for one, two and four weeks. Control samples were cultured under the same conditions without exposure to centrifugation. The samples were analysed by (immuno)histochemistry, Fourier transform infrared imaging, micro-computed tomography, biochemical and gene expression analyses. Biomechanical testing was also performed. Macroscopically, the centrifuged tissues had a more even surface covering a larger area of the bone disk. Fourier transform infrared imaging analysis indicated higher concentration of collagen in the top and bottom edges of the centrifuged samples. Glycosaminoglycan contents increased along the culture, while collagen content appeared to remain at a rather constant level. Aggrecan and procollagen α1(II) gene expression levels had no significant differences, while procollagen α2(I) levels were increased significantly. Biomechanical analyses did not reveal remarkable changes. In conclusion, both of the centrifugation regimes lead to a more uniform tissue constructs, while the biological properties of the native tissue could not be obtained.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Cell- och molekylärbiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Cell and Molecular Biology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Centrifugation

cell biology

tissue engineering

cartilage

chondrocyte

Medical Cell Biology

medicinsk cellbiologi

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)