Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  1997 Sep;40(9):1274-1279.

Expansion and New Creation of Human Septal Cartilage from Biopsied Fragment: Using in vivo 3-D Culture of Chondrocytes

• Park DJ
• Paik SI
• Bong JP
• Park SY
• Yu GW
• Lee JG

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The use of autogenous cartilage has the problem of donor site morbidity and limited supply in reconstructive surgery.
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study is to increase the size and the volume of the autogenous small cartilage by the new three dimensional culture technique.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The chondrocytes from biopsied human septal cartilage were subcultured. The increased cells were encapsulated with calcium alginate and were injected to the subcutaneous tissue of the athymic nude mouse for in vivo 3-dimensional culture.
RESULTS
After 8 weeks of the injection, the implanted subcutaneous nodule was seemed to be the natural cartilage and the histoarchtectures revealed characteristics of the hyaline cartilage.
CONCLUSION
This results suggest that the small biopsied cartilage can be expanded by the techniques of subculture and the 3-dimensional culture., and can potentially overcome the limited availability of autogenous donor cartilage.

Keyword

Chondrocytes; Cell culture; Cartilage; Alginate

MeSH Terms

Animals
Calcium
Cartilage*
Cell Culture Techniques
Chondrocytes*
Culture Techniques
Humans*
Hyaline Cartilage
Mice
Mice, Nude
Subcutaneous Tissue
Tissue Donors
Calcium