Repair of ear cartilage defects with allogenic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in rabbits

Cell Biochem Biophys. 2014 Nov;70(2):1137-43. doi: 10.1007/s12013-014-0033-2.

Abstract

The study aims to investigate the feasibility of repairing cartilaginous defects with chondrocytes induced from allogenic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSC) in rabbits' ear. BMMSCs were isolated and purified from New Zealand rabbits, in vitro amplified, and cultured in chondrocyte induction medium in order to acquire chondrocytes. After 3 weeks of induction, their phenotypes were confirmed as chondrocytes, then they were implanted onto novel polymeric scaffolds made from Poly (dl-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) embedded with chitosan nonwoven cloth. The experimental group was transplanted with tissue engineering cartilaginous grafts composed of chondrogenetic BMMSC/scaffolds; the scaffold group was treated with scaffolds without cells, while in the control group, nothing was implanted. Specimens were taken at 6, 12, and 18 weeks after implantation, and the healing condition was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and toluidine blue staining. The right and left ears with cartilage defects of eighteen rabbits were randomly divided into three groups. In the experimental group, after 18 weeks of transplantation, the gross observation indicated that the cartilaginous defects were completely repaired by chondrocytes with smooth surface and similar color with the surrounding tissue. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and toluidine blue staining suggested that the defective area was filled with mature cartilage cells with obvious lacunae but without obvious boundaries with the normal cartilage tissue, and that the new cartilage cells were evenly distributed with homogeneously dyed cytoplasm and smaller in size. The chondrocyte induced from allogenic BMMSC can be used to repair cartilage defects in rabbit's ear.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology*
  • Chondrocytes / cytology
  • Chondrocytes / drug effects
  • Ear Cartilage / cytology
  • Ear Cartilage / injuries*
  • Ear Cartilage / physiology*
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation*
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells*
  • Rabbits
  • Tissue Scaffolds
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / pharmacology
  • Wound Healing* / drug effects

Substances

  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1