We performed comparative analysis of the morphology of chondrocytes in normal cartilage, after their isolation from the tissue, and at different stages of culturing; structural dynamics of cells during culturing was also studied. Significant morphological differences in chondrocytes at the specified stages of their preparation to in vivo use were revealed. Pronounced structural changes (blebbing and cytoplasm swelling) were found in chondrocytes before their implantation, which can affect the formation of cartilage regenerate. The study was performed using light microscopy methods including time-lapse recording of the cell cultures with differential interference Nomarski contrasting combined with transmission electron microscopy.
Keywords: cell culturing; chondrocytes; structural dynamics.