Hyaline Cartilage Tissue Engineering: 3D Culture of Autologous Chondrocytes in Biodegradable Hydrogels
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| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
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| Description | Regeneration of hyaline cartilage is a challenging endeavor due to its limited regenerative capacity. The challenge arises from the tendency of chondrocytes to dedifferentiate into fibroblast-like cells, compromising their ability to maintain a stable phenotype for effective tissue engineering applications. This project is focused on the 3D culture of human articular chondrocytes within biodegradable hydrogel* while investigating the feasibility and efficacy of this technique. The methodology involves the encapsulation of human articular chondrocytes within biodegradable hydrogels, optimizing culture conditions to facilitate cell proliferation, differentiation, and extracellular matrix production. Immunocytochemical analysis on cryosections allows the detection of the synthetic activity of chondrocytes. The results obtained so far show that under 3D conditions, significantly higher production of type II collagen (specific for chondrocytes) was detected while 2D control was dominated by type I collagen (fibroblasts). The hydrogel environment thus effectively enables the maintenance of the chondrocyte phenotype. Chondrocytes maintain high viability and proliferative activity during 3D culturing. The prospects of this project extend to clinical applications in hyaline cartilage tissue engineering, offering a promising solution for repairing cartilage defects. This research aims to contribute and ultimately improve patient outcomes in orthopedic surgery and restoring joint function. |
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