Three-dimensional culture of human chondrocytes using Honeycomb Disc 96

Article information
Mechanical properties and structure-function relationships of human chondrocyte-seeded cartilage constructs after in vitro culture.
Middendorf, J. M., Griffin, D. J., Shortkroff, S., Dugopolski, C., Kennedy, S., Siemiatkoski, J., Cohen, I. and Bonassar, L. J.
J Orthop Res. 2017 Oct;35(10):2298-2306 PMID: 28169453

Overview
Transplantation of autologous chondrocytes for the repair of articular cartilage is a well-known technique supported by the scientific findings of basic research and clinical trials.

However, problems persist such as graft hypertrophy, injury of surrounding tissue due to suturing, delamination of cartilage tissue after transplantation and uneven cell distribution.

Hence in improved methods of autologous chondrocyte transplantation, chondrocytes are seeded in a 3D scaffold, and then the tissue engineered graft is transplanted into the defected area.

Despite FDA guidance suggesting the characterisation of the parameters compression, friction and shear, many reports only evaluate the content of sulphated glucosaminoglycans (sGAG) and the collagen and compression properties.

The authors seeded human chondrocytes on honeycomb disc 96 and carried out 3D culture for 7 weeks. They observed a large amount of proteoglycan and lubricin produced around the surface of the Honeycomb Disc 96.

The amount of sGAG was also evaluated following 7 weeks of culture and was found to be similar to the amount of sGAG in human cartilage tissue.

Furthermore, the frictional characteristics were similar to that of human cartilage tissue. However, since the compression and shear characteristics were lower than human cartilage, there was addition of mechanical stimulation during the 3-D culture.

Atelocollagen sponge with a honeycomb-like pore structure

Product Name
– Atelocollagen, Honeycomb Sponge (Cat. No.: CSH-10)
– Atelocollagen, Honeycomb Disc 96 (Cat. No.: CSH-96)