INTRODUCTION: Since partial defects in articular cartilage do not heal spontaneously, whereas injuries that penetrate the subchondral bone undergo some repair [1], we have begun to consider the development of tissue engineered osteochondral constructs consisting of a hybrid scaffold of chondrocyte-seeded hydrogel and devitalized trabecular bone; such a scaffold may improve cartilage repair and ...

Stabilization of fibrin-chondrocyte constructs with fibrinolytical inhibitors has been shown to be a feasible method for the reconstruction of cartilage in vitro. In this study, the method was tested in vivo. Autologous cultures were used to form stabilized fibrin-chondrocyte constructs that were injected into auricular cartilage defects of rabbits. Stabilization was achieved by high doses of f...

Autologous chondrocyte implantation is an option in the treatment of full-thickness chondral or osteochondral injuries which are symptomatic. The goal of surgery and rehabilitation is the replacement of damaged cartilage with hyaline or hyaline-like cartilage, producing improved levels of function and preventing early osteoarthritis. The intermediate results have been promising in terms of func...

Macro-scale changes in longitudinal bone growth resulting from mechanical loading were shown Part 1 of this review to depend on load magnitude, anatomical location, and species. While no significant effect was observed by varying frequency amplitude cyclic loading, such variations, addition duration species, affect the morphology, viability, gene protein expression within plate. Intermittent co...

INTRODUCTION Although pharmacologic treatment remains the mainstay for treating rheumatoid arthritis, there is an increasing need for a method that biologically regenerates arthritic knee lesions as patient longevity continually increases. CASE PRESENTATION We treated rheumatoid arthritis of the right knee in a 35-year-old female Korean patient using autologous chondrocyte implantation. Twelv...

A serum-free organ culture model for chondrocyte maturation, using the Avian sternum, was developed. Day-14 chick embryo sterna were placed in organ culture in the presence of defined medium. The optimal medium for chondrocyte terminal differentiation contained specific concentrations of dexamethasone, insulin, thyroid hormone and ascorbic acid. Three parameters, including sternal growth, cell ...

Much of the mammalian skeleton is composed of bones that originate from cartilage templates through endochondral ossification. Elucidating the mechanisms that control endochondral bone development is critical for understanding human skeletal diseases, injury response, and aging. Mouse genetic studies in the past 15 years have provided unprecedented insights about molecules regulating chondrocyt...

A knowledge of the behavior of chondrocytes in culture is relevant for tissue engineering. Chondrocytes dedifferentiate to a fibroblast-like phenotype on plastic surfaces. Dedifferentiation is reversible if these cells are then cultured in suspension. In this report a description is given of how when chondrocyte aggregates formed in suspension are next seeded on plastic, most of them attach as ...

We have developed composite hydrogels of chitosan (CS) and mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) in this study. The gelation rate, gel strength, drug delivery behavior and chondrocyte proliferation properties were investigated. The introduction of MSNs into CS accelerated the gelation process at body temperature and also increased the elastic modulus G' from 1000 to 1800 Pa. When we used genta...

Jaw morphogenesis depends on the growth of Meckel's cartilage during embryogenesis. However, the cell types and signals that promote chondrocyte proliferation for Meckel's cartilage growth are poorly defined. Here we show that neural crest cells (NCCs) and their derivatives provide an essential source of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to enhance jaw vascularization and stabilize ...