[Creation of tissue engineered cartilage with internal support].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that tissue-engineered cartilage can be bioincorporated with a nonreactive, permanent endoskeletal scaffold. METHODS: Chondrocytes obtained from swine articular were seeded onto polyglycolic acids(PGA) scaffold which was incorporated with high-density polyethylene (Medpor). After cultured in vitro for two weeks,the cell-scaffold construct was implanted into subcutaneous pockets on the back of nude mice. Six weeks later,the newly formed cartilage prosthesis was harvested, and a small part of sample was evaluated by gross view, histology, type II collagen immunohistochemistry and biochemistry. PGA scaffold seeded with cells as the control group. RESULTS: The newly formed cartilage was very similar to normal cartilage in both gross view and histology, and jointed Medpor tightly. The center of control group was hollow. CONCLUSION: This pilot technique combining tissue engineering with a permanent success in creating cartilage without "hollow" phenomenon. biocompatible endoskeleton demonstrated