Chondrocytes derived from human donor cartilage can be grown in vitro and under appropriate serum-free conditions form a biomechanically stable cartilage-like tissue (neocartilage) exhibiting biochemical and morphological properties similar to those of the native tissue. Allografts of such rabbit neocartilage have been implanted in surgically created articular defects in rabbits with impressive integration with the surrounding cartilage tissue. These studies support potential use of neocartilage as an allograft material for surgical repair of chondral and osteochondral lesions. To facilitate the use of the neocartilage for surgical repair it is necessary to optimize the growth and maturation conditions of the chondrocyte cultures, correlating endpoints of matrix production with measurable mechanical properties. The expansion potential of prepubescent chondrocytes, which still retain the potential for matrix production, will be determined. The effect of maturation, time in culture during neocartilage formation, on the biochemical composition and morphology of the neocartilage will be studied and correlated with several cartilage parameters of tissue composition and biomechanical properties. The goal of this project is to optimize the process for the production of functional cartilage allografts.
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