Transplantation of autologous chondrocytes <i>ex-vivo</i> expanded using Thermoreversible Gelation Polymer in a rabbit model of articular cartilage defect.

Arumugam, Sivaraman; Bhupesh Karthik, Balasubramanyan; Chinnuswami, Rajeswar; Mori, Yuichi; Yoshioka, Hiroshi; Senthilkumar, Rajappa; Mathaiyan, Rajmohan; Ramalingam, Karthick et al. · J Orthop · 2017

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Graft failure due to de-differentiation of the chondrocytes during in vitro culture and after transplantation is a major hurdle in Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI). We, herein, report the transplantation of autologous chondrocytes <i>ex vivo</i> expanded using a Thermo-reversible Gelation Polymer (TGP) in a rabbit model. A full thickness chondral defect was created in one of the knee joints in each of the six rabbits of the study and autologous chondrocytes <i>in vitro</i> expanded using TGP scaffold were transplanted after 10 weeks. H & E staining of the biopsy after 6 months revealed maintenance of articular cartilage phenotype.